Local Storage and Conditioning Systems For Nutritional Substances

ABSTRACT

Nutritional substance systems and methods are disclosed enabling the tracking and communication of changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of nutritional substances, and further enabling the adaptive storage and adaptive conditioning of nutritional substances.

RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/931,744, titled Local Storage and Conditioning Systems For Nutritional Substances, filed Jun. 28, 2013, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/560,965 (U.S. Pat. No. 8,490,862), titled Transformation System For Nutritional Substances, filed Jul. 27, 2012, which is a continuation of utility application Ser. No. 13/485,863 filed May 31, 2012, which, in turn, claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/625,002, filed Apr. 16, 2012; and U.S. provisional patent application, 61/625,010, filed Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/931,744, titled Local Storage and Conditioning Systems For Nutritional Substances, filed Jun. 28, 2013, is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/602,040, titled Conditioning System For Nutritional Substances, filed Aug. 31, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/485,866, filed May 31, 2012, which claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 61/624,745, filed Apr. 16, 2012, U.S. provisional application No. 61/624,765, filed Apr. 16, 2012, and U.S. provisional application No. 61/624,788, filed Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/931,744, titled Local Storage and Conditioning Systems For Nutritional Substances, filed Jun. 28, 2013, is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/684,113, titled Transformation System For Optimization Of Nutritional Substances At Consumption, filed Nov. 21, 2012, which is a continuation of utility application Ser. No. 13/485,863 filed May 31, 2012, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/624,992 filed Apr. 16, 2012; U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/625,002, filed Apr. 16, 2012; and U.S. provisional patent application, 61/625,010, filed Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions relate to local storage and conditioning of nutritional substances in conjunction with the collection, transmission, and use of information regarding a current nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nutritional substances are traditionally grown (plants), raised (animals) or synthesized (synthetic compounds). Additionally, nutritional substances can be found in a wild, non-cultivated form, which can be caught or collected. While the collectors and creators of nutritional substances generally obtain and/or generate information about the source, history, caloric content and/or nutritional content of their products, they generally do not pass such information along to the users of their products. One reason is the nutritional substance industries have tended to act like “silo” industries. Each group in the food and beverage industry: growers, packagers, processors, distributors, retailers, and preparers work separately, and either shares no information, or very little information, between themselves. There is generally no consumer access to, and little traceability of, information regarding the creation and/or origin, preservation, processing, preparation, or consumption of nutritional substances. It would be desirable for such information be available to the consumers of nutritional substances, as well as all participants in the food and beverage industry—the nutritional substance supply system.

While the nutritional substance supply system has endeavored over the last 50 years to increase the caloric content of nutritional substances produced (which has helped reduce starvation in developing countries, but has led to obesity and other problems in developed countries), maintaining, or increasing, the nutritional content of nutritional substances has been a lower priority and is done in a synthetic manner. Caloric content refers to the energy in nutritional substances, commonly measured in calories. The caloric content could be represented as sugars and/or carbohydrates in the nutritional substances. The nutritional content, also referred to herein as nutritional value, of foods and beverages, as used herein, refers to the non-caloric content of these nutritional substances which are beneficial to the organisms which consume these nutritional substances. For example, the nutritional content of a nutritional substance could include vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other non-caloric components which are necessary, or at least beneficial, to the organism consuming the nutritional substances.

While there has recently been greater attention by consumer organizations, health organizations and the public to the nutritional content of foods and beverages, the food and beverage industry has been slow in responding to this attention. One reason for this may be that since the food and beverage industry operates as silos of those who create nutritional substances, those who preserve and transport nutritional substances, those who transform nutritional substances, and those who finally prepare the nutritional substances for consumption by the consumer, there has been no system wide coordination or management of nutritional content, and no practical way for creators, preservers, transformers, and conditioners to update labeling content for nutritional substances. While each of these silo industries may be able to maintain or increase the nutritional content of the foods and beverages they handle, each silo industry has only limited information and control of the nutritional substances they receive, and the nutritional substances they pass along, and the limited information in their control provides little utility beyond tracking product inventory and predetermined expiration dates.

As consumers better understand their need for nutritional substances with higher nutritional content, they will start demanding that the food and beverage industry offer products which include higher nutritional content, and/or at least information regarding nutritional content of such products, as well as information regarding the source, creation and other origin information for the nutritional substance. In fact, consumers are already willing to pay higher prices for higher nutritional content. This can be seen at high-end grocery stores which offer organic, minimally processed, fresh, non-adulterated nutritional substances. Further, as societies and governments seek to improve their constituents' health and lower healthcare costs, incentives and/or mandates will be given to the food and beverage industry to track, maintain, and/or increase the nutritional content of nutritional substances they handle. There will be a need, not only within each food and beverage industry silo to maintain or improve the nutritional content of their products, but an industry-wide solution to allow the management of nutritional content across the entire cycle from creation to consumption. In order to manage the nutritional content of nutritional substances across the entire cycle from creation to consumption, the nutritional substance industry will need to identify, track, measure, estimate, preserve, transform, condition, and record nutritional content for nutritional substances. Of particular importance is the measurement, estimation, and tracking of changes to the nutritional content of a nutritional substance from creation to consumption. This information could be used, not only by the consumer in selecting particular nutritional substances to consume, but could be used by the other food and beverage industry silos, including creation, preservation, transformation, and conditioning, to make decisions on how to create, handle and process nutritional substances. Additionally, those who sell nutritional substances to consumers, such as restaurants and grocery stores, could communicate perceived qualitative values of the nutritional substance in their efforts to market and position their nutritional substance products. Further, a determinant of price of the nutritional substance could be particular nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values, and if changes to those values are perceived as desirable. For example, if a desirable value has been maintained, improved, or minimally degraded, it could be marketed as a premium product. Still further, a system allowing creators, preservers, transformers, and conditioners of nutritional substances to update labeling content to reflect the most current information about the nutritional substance would provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions regarding the nutritional substances they purchase and consume. Such information updates could include nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, and may further include information regarding the source, creation and other origin information for the nutritional substance.

For example, the grower of sweet corn generally only provides basic information as the variety and grade of its corn to the packager, who preserves and ships the corn to a producer for use in a ready-to-eat dinner. The packager may only tell the producer that the corn has been frozen as loose kernels of sweet corn. The producer may only provide the consumer with rudimentary instructions how to cook or reheat the ready-to-eat dinner in a microwave oven, toaster oven or conventional oven, and only tell the consumer that the dinner contains whole kernel corn among the various items in the dinner. Finally, the consumer of the dinner will likely keep her opinions on the quality of the dinner to herself, unless it was an especially bad experience, where she might contact the producer's customer support program to complain. Very minimal, or no, information on the nutritional content of the ready-to-eat dinner is passed along to the consumer. The consumer knows essentially nothing about changes (generally a degradation, but could be a maintenance or even an improvement) to the nutritional content of the sweet corn from creation, processing, packaging, cooking, preservation, preparation by consumer, and finally consumption by the consumer. The consumer is even more unlikely to be aware of possible changes to labeling content that a creator, preserver, transformer, or conditioner may just have become be aware of, such as changes in information about nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance or changes in information regarding the source, creation and other origin information about the nutritional substance. If communicated, such changes to labeling content could affect a purchasing preference or consumption preference of a consumer. Further, if communicated, such changes to labeling content could affect the health, safety, and wellbeing of the consumer. It is also clear that such changes would best be communicated rapidly and by a means readily utilized by a consumer.

Consumers' needs are changing as consumers are demanding healthier foods, such as “organic foods.” Consumers are also asking for more information about the nutritional substances they consume, such as specific characteristics' relating not only to nutritional content, but to allergens or digestive intolerances. For example, nutritional substances which contain lactose, gluten, nuts, dyes, etc. need to be avoided by certain consumers. However, the producer of the ready-to-eat dinner, in the prior example, has very little information to share other than possibly the source of the elements of the ready-to-eat dinner and its processing steps in preparing the dinner. Generally, the producer of the ready-to-eat dinner does not know the nutritional content and organoleptic state and aesthetic condition of the product after it has been reheated or cooked by the consumer, cannot predict changes to these properties, and cannot inform a consumer of this information to enable the consumer to better meet their needs. For example, the consumer may want to know what proportion of desired organoleptic properties or values, desired nutritional content or values, or desired aesthetic properties or values of the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner remain after cooking or reheating, and the change in the desired nutritional content or values, the desired organoleptic properties or values, or the desired aesthetic properties or values (usually a degradation, but could be a maintenance or even improvement). There is a need to preserve, measure, estimate, store and/or transmit information regarding such nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, including changes to these values, throughout the nutritional substance supply system. Given the opportunity and a system capable of receiving and processing real time consumer feedback and updates regarding changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of nutritional substances, consumers can even play a role in updating dynamic information about the nutritional substances they have purchased and/or prepared for consumption, such that the information is available and useful to others in the nutritional substance supply system. Ideally, equipment for local storage of nutritional substances by consumers, such as any food preparation appliance, storage location, portable container, tray, bag, and so forth, could interact with nutritional substance products to provide such consumer feedback and updates. Ideally, equipment for conditioning of nutritional substances by consumers, such as any food preparation appliance, oven, toaster, blender, stove top, grill, microwave, and so forth, could interact with nutritional substance products to provide such consumer feedback and updates. Further, equipment for local storage of medicament products by consumers, such as any medicine cabinet, storage location, portable container, tray, bag, and so forth, could interact with the medicament product to provide such consumer feedback and updates.

The caloric and nutritional content information for a prepared food that is provided to the consumer is often minimal. For example, when sugar is listed in the ingredient list, the consumer generally does receive any information about the source of the sugar, which can come from a variety of plants, such as sugarcane, beets, or corn, which will affect its nutritional content. Conversely, some nutritional information that is provided to consumers is so detailed, the consumer can do little with it. For example, this this of ingredients is from a nutritional label on a consumer product: Vitamins—A 355 IU 7%, E 0.8 mg 4%, K 0.5 mcg, 1%, Thiamin 0.6 mg 43%, Riboflavin 0.3 mg 20%, Niacin 6.0 mg 30%, B6 1.0 mg 52%, Foliate 31.5 mcg 8%, Pantothenic 7%; Minerals Calcium 11.6 1%, Iron 4.5 mg 25%, Phosphorus 349 mg 35%, Potassium 476 mg 14%, Sodium 58.1 mg 2%, Zinc 3.7 mg 24%, Copper 0.5 mg 26%, Manganese 0.8 mg 40%, Selenium 25.7 mcg 37%; Carbohydrate 123 g, Dietary fiber 12.1 g, Saturated fat 7.9 g, Monosaturated Fat 2.1 g, Polysaturated Fat 3.6 g, Omega 3 fatty acids 108 g, Omega 6 fatty acids 3481, Ash 2.0 g and Water 17.2 g. (%=Daily Value). There is a need to provide information about nutritional substances in a meaningful manner. Such information needs to be presented in a manner that meets the specific needs of a particular consumer. For example, consumers with a medical condition, such as diabetes, would want to track specific information regarding nutritional values associated with sugar and other nutrients in the foods and beverages they consume, and would benefit further from knowing changes in these values or having tools to quickly indicate or estimate these changes in a retrospective, current, or prospective fashion, and even tools to report these changes, or impressions of these changes, in a real-time fashion. Consumers would want to track medicaments for specific requirements, changes in their medicinal values, degradation, and for potential interactions with other medicaments and nutritional substances they are consuming or planning to consume.

In fact, each silo in the food and beverage industry already creates and tracks some information, including caloric and nutritional information, about their product internally. For example, the famer who grew the corn knows the variety of the seed, condition of the soil, the source of the water, the fertilizers and pesticides used, and can measure the caloric and nutritional content at creation. The packager of the corn knows when it was picked, how it was transported to the packaging plant, how the corn was preserved and packaged before being sent to the ready-to-eat dinner producer, when it was delivered to the producer, and what degradation to caloric and nutritional content has occurred. The producer knows the source of each element of the ready-to-eat dinner, how it was processed, including the recipe followed, and how it was preserved and packaged for the consumer. Not only does such a producer know what degradation to caloric and nutritional content occurred, the producer can modify its processing and post-processing preservation to minimally affect nutritional content. The preparation of the nutritional substance for consumption can also degrade the nutritional content of nutritional substances. Finally, the consumer knows how she prepared the dinner, what condiments were added, and whether she did or did not enjoy it.

If there was a mechanism to share this information, the quality of the nutritional substances, including caloric and nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic value, could be preserved and improved. Consumers could be better informed about nutritional substances they select and consume, including the state, and changes in the state, of the nutritional substance throughout its lifecycle from creation to consumption. The efficiency and cost effectiveness of nutritional substances could also be improved. Feedback within the entire chain from creator to consumer could provide a closed-loop system that could improve quality (taste, appearance, and caloric and nutritional content), efficiency, value and profit. For example, in the milk supply chain, at least 10% of the milk produced is wasted due to safety margins included in product expiration dates. The use of more accurate tracking information, measured quality (including nutritional content) information, and historical environmental information could substantially reduce such waste. Collecting, preserving, measuring and/or tracking information about a nutritional substance in the nutritional substance supply system, would allow needed accountability. There would be nothing to hide.

As consumers are demanding more information about what they consume, they are asking for products that have higher nutritional content and more closely match good nutritional requirements, and would like nutritional products to actually meet their specific nutritional requirements. While grocery stores, restaurants, and all those who process and sell food and beverages may obtain some information from current nutritional substance tracking systems, such as labels, these current systems can provide only limited information.

Current packaging materials for nutritional substances include plastics, paper, cardboard, glass, and synthetic materials. Generally, the packaging material is chosen by the producer to best preserve the quality of the nutritional substance until used by the customer. In some cases, the packaging may include some information regarding type of nutritional substance, identity of the producer, and the country of origin. Such packaging generally does not transmit source information of the nutritional substance, such as creation information, current or historic information as to the external conditions of the packaged nutritional substance, or current or historic information as to the internal conditions of the packaged nutritional substance.

Traditional food processors take nutritional substances from producers and transform them into nutritional substances for consumption by consumers. While they have some knowledge of the nutritional substances they purchase, and make such selections to meet the needs of the consumers, they generally do not transmit that information along to consumers, nor change the way they transform the nutritional substances based on the history or current condition of the nutritional substances they receive for transformation.

Consumers of nutritional substances are sometimes given options on how to prepare nutritional substances they have obtained from the store, such as different cooking devices: microwave ovens, conventional ovens, etc., and/or limited taste preferences such as crunchy or soft. However, if the consumer desires to prepare a specific recipe, they must obtain all the proper ingredients themselves, as well as prepare the recipe themselves including which cooking appliances need to be used. Further, the consumer has no way of knowing the history or current condition of the nutritional substances they obtain for preparing a desired recipe. Still further, the consumer has no way of knowing how to change or modify the conditioning process to achieve desired nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic properties after preparation. Consumers locally store, condition, and consume nutritional substances they acquire, but have no way to change the way they locally store, condition, and consume the nutritional substances based on the history or current condition of the nutritional substances.

An important issue in the creation, preservation, transformation, conditioning, and consumption of nutritional substances are the changes that occur in nutritional substances due to a variety of internal and external factors. Because nutritional substances are composed of biological, organic, and/or chemical compounds, they are generally subject to degradation. This degradation generally reduces the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances. While not always true, nutritional substances are best consumed at their point of creation. However, being able to consume nutritional substances at the farm, at the slaughterhouse, at the fishery, or at the food processing plant is at least inconvenient, if not impossible. Currently, the food and beverage industry attempts to minimize the loss of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, often through the use of additives or preservatives and often through freezing the nutritional substance, and/or attempts to hide this loss of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value from consumers. Consumers are left are provided with virtually no tools to help them in their attempts to determine and minimize the loss of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substances they acquire, locally store, condition, and consume.

Overall, the examples herein of some prior or related systems and their associated limitations are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of existing or prior systems will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the following Detailed Description.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to track changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance, and to minimize and/or track degradation of said values, and collect, store, and transmit information regarding these changes or degradation, and information related to origin and creation of the nutritional substance, from creation through consumption, including all phases of preservation, transformation, local storage and conditioning.

It is an object of the present invention to provide appliances and equipment to track changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance, and to minimize and/or track degradation of said values, and/or collect, store, and/or transmit information regarding these changes or degradation, and information related to origin and creation of the nutritional substance, during the local storage and conditioning of the nutritional substance.

It is an object of the present invention to modify or adapt the local storage and conditioning of a nutritional substance to maintain and/or minimize degradation of and/or improve nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance.

It is an object of the present invention that information related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or information related to the origin and creation of a nutritional substance, can be utilized during local storage and conditioning of the nutritional substance to confirm compliance, or non-compliance, with general consumer requirements, or with a specific consumer's requirements, regarding nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or regarding origin and creation of the nutritional substance.

It is an object of the present invention that information related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, can be used to adaptively condition the nutritional substance so as to maintain and/or minimize degradation of and/or improve nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values of the adaptively conditioned nutritional substance.

It is an object of the present invention that information collected by sensors of, or sensors communicating with, a conditioning appliance can collect all types of physical attribute data by sensing a nutritional substance, and that the nutritional substance can be identified and its current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state determined, by comparing the sensed data to a library of data for known nutritional substances at known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic states, and further that the nutritional substance can be adaptively conditioned responsive to: its current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state; and consumer input received through a consumer interface of the conditioning appliance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for the tracking of changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance, wherein the system may collect, store, and transmit information regarding the changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, and information related to origin and creation of the nutritional substance, from creation through consumption, including all phases of preservation, transformation, local storage and conditioning.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for the tracking of changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance, wherein the system may collect, store, and transmit information regarding the changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, and information related to origin and creation of the nutritional substance, during local storage and conditioning of the nutritional substance.

In an embodiment of the present invention, local storage appliances and equipment are provided to track changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance, and to minimize and/or track degradation of said values, and/or collect, store, and/or transmit information regarding these changes or degradation, and information related to origin and creation of the nutritional substance, during the local storage of the nutritional substance prior to conditioning or consumption of the nutritional substance.

In an embodiment of the present invention, local storage and conditioning of a nutritional substance is modified or adapted to maintain and/or minimize degradation of and/or improve nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance.

In an embodiment of the present invention, during local storage or conditioning of a nutritional substance, information related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or information related to the origin and creation of the nutritional substance, is compared with general consumer requirements, or with a specific consumer's requirements, to confirm compliance, or non-compliance, regarding nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or regarding origin and creation of the nutritional substance.

In an embodiment of the present invention, information related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, is used to determine adaptive conditioning parameters responsive to said changes or degradation or current values, to adaptively condition the nutritional substance so as to maintain and/or minimize degradation of and/or improve nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values of the adaptively conditioned nutritional substance.

In an embodiment of the present invention, sensors of, or sensors communicating with, a conditioning appliance can collect all types of nutritional substance physical attribute data by sensing a nutritional substance, whereby the nutritional substance is identified and its current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state determined, by comparing the sensed data to a library of physical attribute data for known nutritional substances at known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic states, and the conditioning appliance further adaptively conditions the nutritional substance responsive to: its current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state; and consumer input received through a consumer interface of the conditioning appliance.

In an embodiment of the present invention information regarding a change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of nutritional substances, collectively and individually referred to herein as ΔN, is: measured or collected or calculated or created or estimated or indicated or determined in any suitable manner; stored and/or tracked and/or transmitted and/or processed prior to transformation and/or following transformation, during preservation, and during local storage and conditioning, such that the degradation of specific nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values can be minimized and specific residual nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value can be optimized. A change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value may not occur, in which case ΔN would be zero. The change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value may be a degradation, in which case ΔN would be negative. The change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value may be an improvement, in which case ΔN would be positive.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for the creation, collection, storage, transmission, and/or processing of information regarding nutritional substances so as to improve, maintain, or minimize degradation of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of nutritional substances. Additionally, the present invention provides such information for use by the creators, preservers, transformers, conditioners, and consumers of nutritional substances. The nutritional information creation, preservation, and transmission system of the present invention should allow the nutritional substance supply system to improve its ability to minimize degradation of nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance, and/or inform the consumer about such degradation. The ultimate goal of the nutritional substance supply system is to minimize degradation of nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values, or as it relates to ΔN, minimize the negative magnitude of ΔN. However, an interim goal should be providing consumers with significant information regarding any change, particularly degradation, of nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances consumers select, locally store, condition, and consume, the ΔN, such that desired information regarding specific residual nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values can be ascertained using the ΔN. Entities within the nutritional substance supply system who provide such ΔN information regarding nutritional substances, particularly regarding degradation, will be able to differentiate their products from those who obscure and/or hide such information. Entities within the nutritional substance supply system who provide local storage environments, local storage containers, and conditioning appliances enabling the tracking and use of ΔN information will be able to differentiate their products from those that do not track and utilize ΔN information. Additionally, such entities should be able to charge a premium for products which either maintain their nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, or supply more complete information about changes in their nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, the ΔN.

Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and claims. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, exemplify the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain and illustrate principles of the invention. The drawings are intended to illustrate major features of the exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a nutritional substance supply system relating to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a graph representing a value of a nutritional substance which changes according to a change of condition for the nutritional substance.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a transformation module according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a transformation module according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a transformation module according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a conditioning module according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a conditioning module according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a conditioning module according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a conditioning module according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a graph representing a value of a nutritional substance which changes according to changes in multiple conditions for the nutritional substance.

FIG. 11 shows a graph representing a value of a nutritional substance which changes according to changes in multiple conditions for the nutritional substance.

FIG. 12 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a conditioning module according to the present invention.

FIGS. 13 a and 13 b show formats according to the present invention by which a ΔN, and related residual and initial nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, may be expressed.

In the drawings, the same reference numbers and any acronyms identify elements or acts with the same or similar structure or functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the Figure number in which that element is first introduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Various examples of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples. One skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the invention can include many other obvious features not described in detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail below, so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description.

The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific examples of the invention. Indeed, certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description section.

The following discussion provides a brief, general description of a representative environment in which the invention can be implemented. Although not required, aspects of the invention may be described below in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as routines executed by a general-purpose data processing device (e.g., a server computer or a personal computer). Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that the invention can be practiced with other communications, data processing, or computer system configurations, including: wireless devices, Internet appliances, hand-held devices (including personal digital assistants (PDAs)), wearable computers, all manner of cellular or mobile phones, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, set-top boxes, network PCs, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the like. Indeed, the terms “controller,” “computer,” “server,” and the like are used interchangeably herein, and may refer to any of the above devices and systems.

While aspects of the invention, such as certain functions, are described as being performed exclusively on a single device, the invention can also be practiced in distributed environments where functions or modules are shared among disparate processing devices. The disparate processing devices are linked through a communications network, such as a Local Area Network (LΔN), Wide Area Network (WΔN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

Aspects of the invention may be stored or distributed on tangible computer-readable media, including magnetically or optically readable computer discs, hard-wired or preprogrammed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memory, biological memory, or other data storage media. Alternatively, computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen displays, and other data related to the invention may be distributed over the Internet or over other networks (including wireless networks), on a propagated signal on a propagation medium (e.g., an electromagnetic wave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over a period of time. In some implementations, the data may be provided on any analog or digital network (packet switched, circuit switched, or other scheme).

In some instances, the interconnection between modules is the internet, allowing the modules (with, for example, WiFi capability) to access web content offered through various web servers. The network may be any type of cellular, IP-based or converged telecommunications network, including but not limited to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), etc.

The modules in the systems can be understood to be integrated in some instances and in particular embodiments, only particular modules may be interconnected.

FIG. 1 shows the components of a nutritional substance industry 10. It should be understood that this could be the food and beverage ecosystem for human consumption, but could also be the feed industry for animal consumption, such as the pet food industry. A goal of the present invention for nutritional substance industry 10 is to create, preserve, transform and trace the change in nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances, collectively and individually also referred to herein as ΔN, through their creation, preservation, transformation, conditioning and consumption. While the nutritional substance industry 10 can be composed of many companies or businesses, it can also be integrated into combinations of business serving many roles, or can be one business or even individual. Since ΔN is a measure of the change in a value of a nutritional substance, knowledge of a prior value (or state) of a nutritional substance and the ΔN value will provide knowledge of the changed value (or state) of a nutritional substance, and can further provide the ability to estimate a change in value (or state).

Module 200 is the creation module. This can be a system, organization, or individual which creates and/or originates nutritional substances. Examples of this module include a farm which grows produce; a ranch which raises beef; an aquaculture farm for growing shrimp; a factory that synthesizes nutritional compounds; a collector of wild truffles; or a deep sea crab trawler.

Preservation module 300, described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/888,353, titled “Preservation System for Nutritional Substances”, and incorporated in its entirety by reference herein, is a preservation system for storing, preserving and protecting the nutritional substances created by creation module 200. Once the nutritional substance has been created, generally, it will need to be packaged in some manner for its transition to other modules in the nutritional substances industry 10. While preservation module 300 is shown in a particular position in the nutritional substance industry 10, following the creation module 200, it should be understood that the preservation module 300 actually can be placed anywhere nutritional substances need to be stored and preserved during their transition from creation to consumption. It is understood that a nutritional substance may experience more than one preservation event, and that such preservation events may include the local storage of the nutritional substance, such as by a consumer prior to conditioning or consumption.

A specific aspect of the present invention in achieving its goal related to ΔN information is to provide a system that tracks ΔN information during local storage or local preservation of a nutritional substance by a consumer. It is understood that a nutritional substance may experience more than one preservation event, and that such preservation events may include any known form of local storage or local preservation of a nutritional substance prior to conditioning and/or consumption, hereinafter referred to as local storage. Such local storage may take many forms, such as the storage of refrigerated items in a refrigerator, the storage of frozen items in a freezer, the storage of wine bottles in a wine-rack, the storage of canned or dry goods in a pantry, the storage of bread in a bread drawer, the storage of fruit in a counter top tray, and any other form of local nutritional substance storage known to those skilled in the art. It is understood that the present inventions include the local storage of consumable items such as medicaments, for example, medicaments stored in a refrigerator, medicaments stored in a medicine cabinet, or medicaments stored in any other known fashion.

Local storage according to the present invention can be enabled by local storage environments according to the present invention, such as a refrigerator, drawer, cabinet, portable cooler, and any other type of storage environment, wherein the local storage environment is provided with the same capabilities as the preservation module. In addition; local storage according to the present invention can be enabled by local storage containers according to the present invention, such as storage bags, trays, resealable storage-ware, jars, boxes, bottles, and any other type of storage environment, wherein the local storage container is provided with the same capabilities as the preservation module. In a further embodiment of the present invention, currently known traditional formats of storage environments and storage containers are enabled to provide local storage according to the present invention by being coupled with a coupon, hereinafter referred to as a local storage coupon, wherein the local storage coupon provides a traditional storage environment or traditional storage container with the same capabilities as the preservation module. The local storage coupon can be attachment to, placed within, or in any known fashion coupled with, any known formats of traditional storage environments and traditional storage containers.

Transformation module 400 is a nutritional substance processing system, such as a manufacturer who processes raw materials such as grains into breakfast cereals. Transformation module 400 could also be a ready-to-eat dinner manufacturer who receives the components, or ingredients, also referred to herein as component nutritional substances, for a ready-to-eat dinner from preservation module 300 and prepares them into a frozen dinner. While transformation module 400 is depicted as one module, it will be understood that nutritional substances may be transformed by a number of transformation modules 400 on their path to consumption.

Conditioning module 500 is a consumer preparation system for preparing the nutritional substance immediately before consumption by the consumer. Conditioning module 500 can be a microwave oven, a blender, a toaster, a convection oven, a cook, etc. It can also be systems used by commercial establishments to prepare nutritional substance for consumers such as a restaurant, an espresso maker, pizza oven, and other devices located at businesses which provide nutritional substances to consumers. Such nutritional substances could be for consumption at the business or for the consumer to take out from the business. Conditioning module 500 can also be a combination of any of these devices used to prepare nutritional substances for consumption by consumers.

Consumer module 600 collects information from the living entity which consumes the nutritional substance which has passed through the various modules from creation to consumption. The consumer can be a human being, but could also be an animal, such as pets, zoo animals and livestock, which are they themselves nutritional substances for other consumption chains. Consumers could also be plant life which consumes nutritional substances to grow.

Information module 100 receives and transmits information regarding a nutritional substance between each of the modules in the nutritional substance industry 10 including, the creation module 200, the preservation module 300, the transformation module 400, the conditioning module 500, and the consumer module 600. The nutritional substance information module 100 can be an interconnecting information transmission system which allows the transmission of information between various modules. Information module 100 contains a database, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database, where the information regarding the nutritional substance resides, particularly ΔN for the nutritional substance. Information module 100 may also contain a massive database of physical attributes of known nutritional substances at known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic states, also referred to herein as nutritional substance attribute library, which can be utilized for determining the identity and current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state of a nutritional substance. Information module 100 can be connected to the other modules by a variety of communication systems, such as paper, computer networks, the internet and telecommunication systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems. In a system capable of receiving and processing real time consumer feedback and updates regarding changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of nutritional substances, or ΔN, consumers can even play a role in updating a dynamic nutritional value database with observed or measured information about the nutritional substances they have purchased and/or prepared for consumption, so that the information is available and useful to others in the nutritional substance supply system, such as through reports reflecting the consumer input or through modification of ΔN.

In an embodiment of the present invention, such consumer feedback and updates related to ΔN information are provided during the local storage of a nutritional substance. In a preferred embodiment, such consumer feedback and updates related to ΔN information are obtained through, or provided by, local storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the function of how a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance varies over the change in a condition of the nutritional substance. Plotted on the vertical axis of this graph can be either the nutritional value, organoleptic value, or even the aesthetic value of a nutritional substance. Plotted on the horizontal axis can be the change in condition of the nutritional substance over a variable such as time, temperature, location, and/or exposure to environmental conditions. This exposure to environmental conditions can include: exposure to air, including the air pressure and partial pressures of oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, or ozone; airborne chemicals, pollutants, allergens, dust, smoke, carcinogens, radioactive isotopes, or combustion byproducts; exposure to moisture; exposure to energy such as mechanical impact, mechanical vibration, irradiation, heat, or sunlight; or exposure to materials such as packaging. The function plotted as nutritional substance A could show a ΔN for milk, such as. the degradation of a nutritional value of milk over time. Any point on this curve can be compared to another point to measure and/or describe the change in nutritional value, or the ΔN of nutritional substance A. The plot of the degradation in the same nutritional value of nutritional substance B, also milk, describes the change in nutritional value, or the ΔN of nutritional substance B, a nutritional substance which starts out with a higher nutritional value than nutritional substance A, but degrades over time more quickly than nutritional substance A.

In this example, where nutritional substance A and nutritional substance B are milk, this ΔN information regarding the nutritional substance degradation profile of each milk could be used by the consumer in the selection and/or consumption of the milk. If the consumer has this information at time zero when selecting a milk product for purchase, the consumer could consider when the consumer plans to consume the milk, whether that is on one occasion or multiple occasions. For example, if the consumer planned to consume the milk prior to the point when the curve represented by nutritional substance B crosses the curve represented by nutritional substance A, then the consumer should choose the milk represented by nutritional substance B because it has a higher nutritional value until it crosses the curve represented by nutritional substance A. However, if the consumer expects to consume at least some of the milk at a point in time after the time when the curve represented by nutritional substance B crosses the curve represented by nutritional substance A, then the consumer might choose to select the milk represented by the nutritional substance A, even though milk represented by nutritional substance A has a lower nutritional value than the milk represented by nutritional substance B at an earlier time. This change to a desired nutritional value in a nutritional substance over a change in a condition of the nutritional substance described in FIG. 2 can be measured and/or controlled throughout nutritional substance supply system 10 in FIG. 1. This example demonstrates how dynamically generated information regarding a ΔN of a nutritional substance, in this case a change in nutritional value of milk, can be used to understand a rate at which that nutritional value changes or degrades; when that nutritional value expires; and a residual nutritional value of the nutritional substance over a change in a condition of the nutritional substance, in this example a change in time. This ΔN information could further be used to determine a best consumption date for nutritional substance A and B, which could be different from each other depending upon the dynamically generated information generated for each.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing the function of how a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance varies over a change in time and a change in a second condition, the storage temperature of the nutritional substance. It is understood that change in time and change in storage temperature are offered by way of example, and are in no way limiting to the types on condition changes to which the present inventions may be applied. As an example, the change in a nutritional property of milk is shown over a period of time including its preservation at the supermarket and a subsequent period of time including its local storage in a consumer's refrigerator, which is a local storage environment according to the present invention. The graph shows that the milk is preserved at a first temperature, Temperature 1, for a first period of time indicated as 0 to 1, while at the supermarket. The milk is purchased by a consumer at time 1, and subsequently stored at a second temperature, Temperature 2, for a second period of time indicated as 1 to 3, during local storage in the refrigerator, which is a local storage environment according to the present invention. It is noted that Temperature 2 is greater than Temperature 1, and accordingly the shape of the graph changes at point A when the milk is taken from Temperature 1 and stored at Temperature 2. As in the preservation module, the local storage environment can identify the milk stored within it by reading or scanning its dynamic information identifier (or by the consumer entering it), can communicate with the nutritional substance information module, and accordingly can determine the milk's ΔN prior to placement within the refrigerator, and continue to track the milk's ΔN while in the refrigerator. The refrigerator is provided with a consumer interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the refrigerator to communicate to the consumer that it contains the particular carton of milk, information related to ΔN, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the milk, and when the milk will reach a minimum acceptable nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value, indicated by “Minimum” on the vertical axis of the graph. The minimum acceptable values may be automatically provided by the information module, may be provided by the consumer through the consumer interface, or may be the higher of the two values. In this case the consumer can see how the nutritional value of the milk has degraded prior to purchasing it, and can continue to see how the nutritional value degrades during local storage after its purchase, and when it will reach its minimum acceptable nutritional value. For example, at the time indicated as 2, the consumer can determine the residual nutritional value of the milk, corresponding to point B and “Residual” on the vertical axis of the graph. Further, the consumer can determine the milk's nutritional value will reach a minimum acceptable level at time 3, as indicated by “Minimum” on the vertical axis of the graph, thus knowing the window of time in which the milk will maintain an acceptable nutritional level, as indicated by time 1 to 3. Further, the refrigerator can notify the consumer through its consumer interface when the milk's nutritional value has reached or fallen below the minimum acceptable value.

In fact, if the consumer knows the internal temperature of his own refrigerator prior to purchasing the milk, he can predict the degradation of nutritional value of the milk that will occur after he purchases it and locally stores it in his refrigerator, thus knowing the window of time in which it will maintain an acceptable nutritional level, as indicated by time 1 to 3. For example, the consumer may utilize an application on his smartphone to store, or even monitor, the internal temperature of his refrigerator. When he goes to the supermarket, he could scan the milk's dynamic information identifier with his smartphone, and the application can communicate with the nutritional substance information module to determine a current ΔN, and predict the ΔN of the milk when stored in his refrigerator. Further, the consumer may utilize such an application on his smartphone to store, or even monitor, the internal conditions of various local storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons. In this way, when he goes to the supermarket, he can scan the dynamic information identifier of a wide variety of nutritional substances with his smartphone, and the application can communicate with the nutritional substance information module to determine a current ΔN, and predict the ΔN of the nutritional substance when stored in the corresponding local storage environment or local storage container.

FIG. 11 is a graph showing the function of how a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance varies over a change in time and multiple changes in a second condition, the storage temperature of the nutritional substance. It is understood that change in time and change in storage temperature are offered by way of example, and are in no way limiting to the types on condition changes to which the present inventions may be applied. In this example, the change in a nutritional property of potato salad is shown over a period of time including its preservation at the supermarket and a subsequent period of time including its local storage in a consumer's refrigerator, which is a local storage environment according to the present invention, and subsequent storage in the consumer's picnic cooler, which contains a local storage coupon according to the present invention. The graph shows that the potato salad is preserved at a first temperature, Temperature 1, for a first period of time indicated as 0 to 1, while at the supermarket. The potato salad is purchased by a consumer at time 1, and subsequently stored at a second temperature, Temperature 2, for a second period of time indicated as 1 to 2, during local storage in the consumer's refrigerator, which is a local storage environment according to the present invention. It is noted that Temperature 2 is greater than Temperature 1, and accordingly the shape of the graph changes at point A when the potato salad is taken from Temperature 1 and stored at Temperature 2. As in the preservation module, the local storage environment can identify the potato salad stored within it by reading or scanning its dynamic information identifier (or by the consumer entering it), can communicate with the nutritional substance information module, and accordingly can determine the potato salad's ΔN prior to placement within the refrigerator, and continue to track the potato salad's ΔN while in the refrigerator. The refrigerator is provided with a consumer interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the refrigerator to communicate to the consumer that it contains the particular container of potato salad, information related to ΔN, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the potato salad while stored in the refrigerator. At time 2, the potato salad is taken from the refrigerator and placed inside the consumer's traditional picnic cooler, along with a coupon according to the present invention, where it is stored at Temperature 3, for a period of time indicated as 2 to 4. It is noted that Temperature 3 is greater than Temperature 2, and accordingly the shape of the graph changes at point B when the potato salad is taken from Temperature 2 and stored at Temperature 3. The local storage coupon can identify the potato salad stored within it by reading or scanning its dynamic information identifier (or by the consumer entering it), can communicate with the nutritional substance information module, and accordingly can determine the potato salad's ΔN prior to placement within the cooler, and continue to track the potato salad's ΔN while in the cooler. The coupon is provided with a consumer interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known consumer interface, or alternatively, an application on the consumer's smartphone can enable the coupon to communicate with the smartphone such that the smartphone acts as the consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the coupon to communicate to the consumer that the cooler contains the particular container of potato salad, information related to ΔN, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the potato salad while stored in the cooler, and when the potato salad will reach a minimum acceptable nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value, indicated by “Minimum” on the vertical axis of the graph. The minimum acceptable values may be automatically provided by the information module, may be provided by the consumer through the consumer interface, or may be the higher of the two values. In this case the consumer can see how the nutritional value of the potato salad has degraded prior to placing it in the cooler with the coupon, and can continue to see how the nutritional value degrades during local storage in the cooler, and when it will reach its minimum acceptable nutritional value. For example, at the time indicated as 3, the consumer can determine the residual nutritional value of the potato salad, corresponding to point C and “Residual” on the vertical axis of the graph. Further, the consumer can determine the potato salad's nutritional value will reach a minimum acceptable level at time 4, as indicated by “Minimum” on the vertical axis of the graph, thus knowing the window of time in which the potato salad in the cooler will maintain an acceptable nutritional level, as indicated by time 2 to 4. Further, the coupon can notify the consumer through the consumer interface when the potato salad's nutritional value has reached or fallen below the minimum acceptable value.

It is understood that local storage environments according to the present invention can comprise any local storage environment for a nutritional substance provided with the features enabling it to identify a dynamic information identifier on the nutritional substance, track one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the nutritional substance, communicate with the nutritional substance information module, determine a current ΔN, track and predict the ΔN of the nutritional substance while stored therein, and communicate information related to the ΔN to a consumer. Examples of such local storage environments include, but are not limited to: a pantry capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on canned or bottled goods and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the canned or bottled goods, such as time and storage temperature; a shelf capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on dry goods and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the dry goods, such as time and storage humidity; a vegetable bin capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on vegetables and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the vegetables, such as time, storage temperature, and storage humidity; a drawer capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on fruit and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the fruit, such as time, storage temperature, and exposure to light; a medicine cabinet capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on medicaments and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the medicaments, such as time, storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light. These local storage environments may be provided with a consumer interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the local storage environment to communicate to the consumer that it contains a particular nutritional substance, information related to its ΔN, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the nutritional substance while stored in the local storage environment.

It is understood that local storage containers according to the present invention can comprise any local storage container for a nutritional substance provided with the features enabling it to identify a dynamic information identifier on the nutritional substance, track one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the nutritional substance, communicate with the nutritional substance information module, determine a current ΔN, track and predict the ΔN of the nutritional substance while stored therein, and communicate information related to the ΔN to a consumer. Examples of such local storage containers include, but are not limited to: a plastic, sealable container capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on dry goods and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the dry goods, such as time and storage humidity; a tray capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on fruit and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the fruit, such as time, storage temperature, and exposure to light; a resealable bag capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on vegetables and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the vegetables, such as time, storage temperature, and storage humidity; a purse capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier a medicament and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the medicament, such as time, storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light; a picnic cooler capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on potato salad and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the potato salad, such as time and storage temperature. These local storage containers may be provided with a consumer interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the local storage container to communicate to the consumer that it contains a particular nutritional substance, information related to its ΔN, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the nutritional substance while stored in the local storage container.

It is understood that local storage coupons according to the present invention can comprise any form of tag, badge, transponder, label, or any other device, individually and collectively referred to herein as a coupon, placed in proximity to a traditional local storage environment or traditional local storage container, and capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on a nutritional substance stored in the traditional local storage environment or traditional local storage container, tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the nutritional substance, communicating with the nutritional substance information module, determining a current ΔN, tracking and predicting the ΔN of the nutritional substance, and communicate information related to the ΔN to a consumer. Examples of such local storage coupons include, but are not limited to: a coupon placed in a plastic container with dry good, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on dry goods and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the dry goods, such as time and storage humidity; a coupon placed on a tray for holding fruit, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on fruit and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the fruit, such as time, storage temperature, and exposure to light; a coupon placed within a resealable vegetable bag, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on vegetables and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the vegetables, such as time, storage temperature, and storage humidity; a coupon placed within a purse, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on a medicament placed within the purse and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the medicament, such as time, storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light; a coupon attached to the inner surface of a picnic cooler, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on potato salad stored in the cooler and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the potato salad, such as time and storage temperature; a coupon hung in a pantry, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on canned or bottled goods and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the canned or bottled goods, such as time and storage temperature; a coupon attached to a shelf, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on dry goods and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the dry goods, such as time and storage humidity; a coupon attached to an inner surface of a vegetable bin, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on vegetables and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the vegetables, such as time, storage temperature, and storage humidity; a coupon placed within a drawer, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on fruit and tracking one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the fruit, such as time, storage temperature, and exposure to light; a coupon attached to the inner surface of a medicine cabinet, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on medicaments and track one or more conditions related to a ΔN of the medicaments, such as time, storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light.

In FIG. 1, Creation module 200 can dynamically encode nutritional substances to enable the tracking of changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance, or ΔN. This dynamic encoding, also referred to herein as a dynamic information identifier, can replace and/or complement existing nutritional substance marking systems such as barcodes, labels, and/or ink markings. This dynamic encoding, or dynamic information identifier, can be used to make nutritional substance information from creation module 200 available to information module 100 for use by preservation module 300, transformation module 400, conditioning module 500, and/or consumption module 600, which includes the ultimate consumer of the nutritional substance. One method of marking the nutritional substance with a dynamic information identifier by creation module 200, or any other module in nutritional supply system 10, could include an electronic tagging system, such as the tagging system manufactured by Kovio of San Jose, Calif., USA. Such thin film chips can be used not only for tracking nutritional substances, but can include components to measure attributes of nutritional substances, and record and transmit such information. Such information may be readable by a reader including a satellite-based system. Such a satellite-based nutritional substance information tracking system could comprise a network of satellites with coverage of some or all the surface of the earth, so as to allow the dynamic nutritional value database of information module 100 real time, or near real time updates about a ΔN of a particular nutritional substance.

Preservation module 300 includes packers and shippers of nutritional substances. The tracking of changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or a ΔN, during the preservation period within preservation module 300 allows for dynamic expiration dates for nutritional substances. For example, expiration dates for dairy products are currently based generally only on time using assumptions regarding minimal conditions at which dairy products are maintained. This extrapolated expiration date is based on a worst-case scenario for when the product becomes unsafe to consume during the preservation period. In reality, the degradation of dairy products may be significantly less than this worst-case. If preservation module 300 could measure or derive the actual degradation information such as ΔN, an actual expiration date, referred to herein as a dynamic expiration date, can be determined dynamically, and could be significantly later in time than an extrapolated expiration date. This would allow the nutritional substance supply system to dispose of fewer products due to expiration dates. This ability to dynamically generate expiration dates for nutritional substances is of particular significance when nutritional substances contain few or no preservatives. Such products are highly valued throughout nutritional substance supply system 10, including consumers who are willing to pay a premium for nutritional substances with few or no preservatives.

It should be noted that a dynamic expiration date need not be indicated numerically (i.e., as a numerical date) but could be indicated symbolically as by the use of colors—such as green, yellow and red employed on semaphores—or other designations. In those instances, the dynamic expiration date would not be interpreted literally but, rather, as a dynamically-determined advisory date. In practice a dynamic expiration date will be provided for at least one component of a single or multi-component nutritional substance. For multi-component nutritional substances, the dynamic expiration date could be interpreted as a “best’ date for consumption for particular components.

By law, in many localities, food processors such as those in transformation module 400 are required to provide nutritional substance information regarding their products. Often, this information takes the form of a nutritional table applied to the packaging of the nutritional substance. Currently, the information in this nutritional table is based on averages or minimums for their typical product. Using the nutritional substance information from information module 100 provided by creation module 200, preservation module 300, and/or information from the transformation of the nutritional substance by transformation module 400, and consumer feedback and updates related to ΔN, preferably obtained through or provided by local storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons according to the present invention, the food processor could include a dynamically generated nutritional value table, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value table, for the actual nutritional substance being supplied to a consumer and further being locally stored by the consumer. The information in such a dynamic nutritional value table could be used by conditioning module 500 in the preparation of the nutritional substance, and/or used by consumption module 600, so as to allow the ultimate consumer the ability to select the most desirable nutritional substance which meets their needs, and/or to track information regarding nutritional substances consumed.

Information about changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances, or ΔN, is particularly useful in the conditioning module 500 of the present invention, as it allows knowing, or estimating, the pre-conditioning state of the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, including the changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values occurring during local storage of the nutritional substance, and further allows for estimation of a ΔN associated with proposed conditioning parameters. The conditioning module 500 can therefore create conditioning parameters, such as by modifying existing or baseline conditioning parameters, to deliver desired nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values after conditioning. The pre-conditioning state of the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance is not tracked or provided to the consumer by existing conditioners, nor is the ΔN expected from a proposed conditioning tracked or provided to the consumer either before or after conditioning. However, using information provided by information module 100 from creation module 200, preservation module 300, transformation module 400, and consumer feedback and updates related to ΔN, preferably obtained through or provided by local storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons according to the present invention, and/or information measured or generated by conditioning module 500, and/or consumer input provided through the conditioning module 500, conditioning module 500 could provide the consumer with the actual, and/or estimated change in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, or ΔN.

An important benefit provided by local storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons of the present invention is that consumer feedback and updates related to ΔN, such as observed or measured information of, or related to, a ΔN during local storage of the nutritional substance is obtained through, or provided by, the local storage environments, containers, and coupons. In this way consumer feedback and updates related to a ΔN during local storage of a nutritional substance can play a role in updating the dynamic nutritional value information about the nutritional substances consumers have purchased and placed in local storage, such as through modification of ΔN. Such information regarding the change to nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance, or ΔN, could be provided not only to a consumer through the consumption module 600 and conditioning module 500, but could also be provided to information module 100 for use by creation module 200, preservation module 300, transformation module 400, so as to track, and possibly improve nutritional substances throughout the entire nutritional substance supply system 10.

The information regarding nutritional substances provided by information module 100 to consumption module 600 can replace or complement existing information sources such as recipe books, food databases like www.epicurious.com, and Epicurious apps. Through the use of specific information regarding a nutritional substance from information module 100, consumers can use consumption module 600 to select nutritional substances according to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values. This will further allow consumers to make informed decisions regarding nutritional substance additives, preservatives, genetic modifications, origins, traceability, and other nutritional substance attributes that may also be tracked through the information module 100. This information can be provided by consumption module 600 through personal computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, and/or smartphones. Software running on these devices can include dedicated computer programs, modules within general programs, and/or smartphone apps. An example of such a smartphone app regarding nutritional substances is the iOS ShopNoGMO from the Institute for Responsible Technology. This iPhone app allows consumers access to information regarding non-genetically modified organisms they may select. Additionally, consumption module 600 may provide information for the consumer to operate conditioning module 500 in such a manner as to optimize nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance and/or component nutritional substances thereof, according to the consumer's needs or preference or according to target values established by the provider of the nutritional substance, such as the transformer, and/or minimize degradation of, preserve, or improve nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance and/or component nutritional substances thereof.

Through the use of nutritional substance information available from information module 100 nutritional substance supply system 10 can track nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value. Using this information, nutritional substances travelling through nutritional substance supply system 10 can be dynamically valued and priced according to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values. For example, nutritional substances with longer dynamic expiration dates (longer shelf life) may be more highly valued than nutritional substances with shorter expiration dates. Additionally, nutritional substances with higher nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values may be more highly valued, not just by the consumer, but also by each entity within nutritional substance supply system 10. This is because each entity will want to start with a nutritional substance with higher nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value before it performs its function and passes the nutritional substance along to the next entity. Therefore, both the starting nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value and the ΔN associated with those values are important factors in determining or estimating an actual, or residual, nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance, and accordingly are important factors in establishing dynamically valued and priced nutritional substances.

The use of local storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons according to the present invention makes information related to a ΔN of a locally stored nutritional substance available to information module 100, so that information available from information module 100 can enable a consumer, or any entity inside or outside the nutritional substance supply system 10, to track nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance during its local storage. It is understood that such local storage includes local storage by any entity that prepares or otherwise conditions nutritional substances for consumption by a consumer, and could include the consumer's residence, a restaurant, a hospital, a sports arena, a vending machine, or any other known entity providing nutritional substances for consumption.

During the period of implementation of the present inventions, there will be nutritional substances being marketed including those benefiting from the tracking of dynamic nutritional information such as ΔN, also referred to herein as information-enabled nutritional substances, and nutritional substances which do not benefit from the tracking of dynamic nutritional information such as ΔN, which are not information enabled and are referred to herein as dumb nutritional substances. Information-enabled nutritional substances would be available in virtual internet marketplaces, as well as traditional marketplaces. Because of information provided by information-enabled nutritional substances, entities within the nutritional substance supply system 10, including consumers, would be able to review and select information-enabled nutritional substances for purchase. It should be expected that, initially, the information-enabled nutritional substances would enjoy a higher market value and price than dumb nutritional substances. However, as information-enabled nutritional substances become more the norm, the cost savings from less waste due to degradation of information-enabled nutritional substances could lead to their price actually becoming less than dumb nutritional substances.

For example, the producer of a ready-to-eat dinner would prefer to use corn of a high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value in the production of its product, the ready-to-eat dinner, so as to produce a premium product of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value. Depending upon the levels of the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, the ready-to-eat dinner producer may be able to charge a premium price and/or differentiate its product from that of other producers. When selecting the corn to be used in the ready-to-eat dinner, the producer will seek corn of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value from preservation module 300 that meets its requirements for nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value. The packager/shipper of preservation module 300 would also be able to charge a premium for corn which has high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values. And finally, the packager/shipper of preservation module 300 will select corn of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value from the grower of creation module 200, who will also be able to charge a premium for corn of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values.

Further, the consumer of the ready-to-eat dinner may want to, or in the case of a restaurant, cafeteria, or other regulated eating establishment, may be required to, track the nutritional, oragoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the corn during the local storage of the ready-to-eat dinner. The local storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons of the present invention enable such tracking by making information related to ΔN during local storage available to information module 100 for updating the dynamic nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of a nutritional substance.

The change to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value for a nutritional substance, or ΔN, tracked through nutritional substance supply system 10 through nutritional substance information from information module 100 can be preferably determined from measured information. However, some or all such nutritional substance ΔN information may be derived through measurements of environmental conditions of the nutritional substance as it travelled through nutritional substance supply system 10. Additionally, some or all of the nutritional substance ΔN information can be derived from ΔN data of other nutritional substances which have travelled through nutritional substance supply system 10. Nutritional substance ΔN information can also be derived from laboratory experiments performed on other nutritional substances, which may approximate conditions and/or processes to which the actual nutritional substance has been exposed.

For example, laboratory experiments can be performed on bananas to determine effect on or change in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, or ΔN, for a variety of environmental conditions bananas may be exposed to during packaging and shipment in preservation module 300. Using this experimental data, tables and/or algorithms could be developed which would predict the level of change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or ΔN, for a particular banana based upon information collected regarding the environmental conditions to which the banana was exposed during its time in preservation module 300. While the ultimate goal for nutritional substance supply system 10 would be the actual measurement of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values to determine ΔN, use of derived nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values from experimental data to determine ΔN would allow improved logistics planning because it provides the ability to prospectively estimate changes to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or ΔN, and because it allows more accurate tracking of changes to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or ΔN, while technology and systems are put in place to allow actual measurement.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of transformation module 400 of the present invention. Transformation module 400 includes transformer 410, which acts upon nutritional substance 420, and information transmission module 430. When transformer 410 receives a nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430 also receives, or retrieves information about the particular nutritional substance 420 that is to be transformed. This information can include creation information, preservation information, packaging information, shipping information, and possibly previous transformation information. After nutritional substance 420 has been transformed by transformer 410, such information is passed along with the transformed nutritional substance 420 by the information transmission module 430.

For example, sweet corn that arrives for processing by transformer 410 has information associated with it, including the corn variety, where it was planted, when it was planted, when it was picked, the soil it was grown in, the water used for irrigation, and the fertilizers and pesticides that were used during its growth. There may also be information on nutritional and/or organoleptic and/or aesthetic values of the corn when it was preserved for shipment. This information may be stored in the labeling of the corn. However, it may be stored in a database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database. Such information could be accessed by means of telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.

Additionally, the corn may have information associated with it regarding how it was preserved for shipment from the farm to transformation module 400. Such information may include historical information on the environment exterior the container it was shipped in, internal conditions of the container and actual information about the corn during the shipment. Additionally, if the preservation system acted upon such information in preserving the corn, information about the preservation measures may also be available. Such information may be stored in the preservation system. However, it may be stored in a database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database. Such information could be accessed by means of telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.

In the example where the nutritional substance 420 is corn, transformer 410 removes the husk and the silk from the corn. It then separates the kernels from the cob, washes the kernels, and cooks them. Finally, transformer 410 packages the cooked corn in a can and labels the can. The label on the can may contain all the information provided to information transmission module 430. Preferably, this information is referenced by a dynamic encode or tag, herein referred to as a dynamic information identifier, which identifies the information regarding the corn in the can that is being transmitted by information transmission module 430.

In practice, information transmission module 430 would receive the information regarding the nutritional substance 420 from a database that is being used to track the corn during its journey from the farm to the consumer. When transformer 410 transforms nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430 retrieves the appropriate information from the database and transmits it to another database. Alternatively, the information retrieved by transmission module 430 would be transmitted back to the original database, noting that the transformation had occurred. Preferably, the information regarding the corn retrieved by transmission module 430 would simply be appended with the information that the transformation had occurred. Such databases are individually and collectively referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database.

If the nutritional substance 420 can no longer be tracked by the reference information or dynamic information identifier that accompanied the nutritional substance from the creator, then new reference information or a new dynamic information identifier may be created. For example, if the corn is combined with lima beans in the transformer 410, to make succotash, then the information for each may be combined and assigned a new reference number or a new dynamic information identifier. Preferably, a new entry is created in the dynamic nutritional value database, with references to the information related to the corn and the information related to the lima beans.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of transformation module 400 of the present invention. Transformation module 400 includes transformer 410, which acts upon nutritional substance 420, and information transmission module 430. When transformer 410 receives a nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430 also receives, or retrieves information about the particular nutritional substance 420 that is to be transformed. This information can include creation information, packaging information, shipping information, and possibly previous transformation information. After nutritional substance 420 has been transformed by transformer 410, such information is passed along with the transformed nutritional substance 420 by the information transmission module 430, along with specific information relating to the transformation done by transformer 410.

For example, sweet corn that arrives for processing by transformer 410 has information associated with it, including the corn variety, where it was planted, when it was planted, when it was picked, the soil it was grown in, the water used for irrigation, and the fertilizers and pesticides that were used during its growth. There may also be information on nutritional, organoleptic and aesthetic values of the corn when it was preserved for shipment. This information may be stored in the labeling of the corn. However, it may be stored in a dynamic nutritional value database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry. Such information could be accessed by telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.

Additionally, the corn may have information associated with it regarding how it was preserved for shipment from the farm to transformation module 400. Such information may include historical information on the environment exterior the container it was shipped in, internal conditions of the container and actual information about the corn during the shipment. Additionally, if the preservation system acted upon such information in preserving the corn, information about the preservation measures may also be available. Such information may be stored in the preservation system. However, it may be stored in a dynamic nutritional value database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry. Such information could be accessed by means of telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.

In the example where the nutritional substance 420 is corn, transformer 410 removes the husk and the silk from the corn. It then separates the kernels from the cob, washes the kernels, and cooks them. Finally, transformer 410 packages the cooked corn in a can and labels the can.

During this transformation of the nutritional substance 420 by transformer 410, information about the transformation can be captured by transformer 410 and sent to information transmission module 430. This information can include how the transformation was accomplished; including information on the transformer used, the recipe implemented by transformer 410, and the settings for transformer 410 when the transformation occurred. Additionally, any information created during the transformation by transformer 410 can be sent to the information transmission module 430. This could include measured information, such as the actual cooking temperature, length of time of each of the steps, or weight or volume measurements. Additionally, this information could include measured aesthetic, organoleptic and nutritional values.

The label on the can may contain all the information provided to information transmission module 430. Preferably, this information is referenced by a dynamic information identifier which identifies the information regarding the corn in the can that is being transmitted by information transmission module 430.

In practice, information transmission module 430 would receive the information regarding the nutritional substance 420 from a database that is being used to track the corn during its journey from the farm to the consumer. When transformer 410 transforms nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430 retrieves the appropriate information from the database, appends it with the information from transformer 410 regarding the transformation, and transmits it to another database. Alternatively, such information would be transmitted back to the original database, including the transformation information. Preferably, the information regarding the corn would simply be appended with the information from transformer 410 about the transformation. Such databases are individually and collectively referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database

If the nutritional substance 420 can no longer be tracked by the reference information or a dynamic information identifier that accompanied the nutritional substance from the creator, then new reference information or a new dynamic information identifier may be created. For example, if the corn is combined with lima beans in the transformer 410, to make succotash, then the information for each may be combined and assigned a new reference number or a new dynamic information identifier. Preferably, a new entry is created in the dynamic nutritional value database, with references to the information related to the corn and the information related to the lima beans.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of transformation module 400 of the present invention. Transformation module 400 includes transformer 410, which acts upon nutritional substance 420, and information transmission module 430. When transformer 410 receives a nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430 also receives, or retrieves information about the particular nutritional substance 420 that is to be transformed. This information can include creation information, packaging information, shipping information, and possibly previous transformation information. This information is used by transformer 410 to dynamically modify the transformation, the process referred to herein as adaptive transformation. After nutritional substance 420 has been transformed by transformer 410, such information is passed along with the transformed nutritional substance 420 by the information transmission module 430, along with specific information relating to the adaptive transformation done by transformer 410.

For example, sweet corn that arrives for processing by transformer 410 has origination information associated with it, including the corn variety, where it was planted, when it was planted, when it was picked, the soil it was grown in, the water used for irrigation, and the fertilizers and pesticides that were used during its growth. There may also be source information on nutritional, organoleptic and aesthetic values of the corn when it was preserved for shipment. This information may be stored in the labeling of the corn. However, it may be stored in a dynamic nutritional value database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry. Such information could be accessed by telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.

Additionally, the corn may have information associated with it regarding how it was preserved for shipment from the farm to transformation module 400. Such information may include historical information on the environment exterior the container it was shipped in, internal conditions of the container and actual information about the corn during the shipment. Additionally, if the preservation system acted upon such information in preserving the corn, information about the preservation measures may also be available. Such information may be stored in the preservation system. However, it may be stored in a database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database. Such information could be accessed by means of telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.

Any, or all, of this information can be provided to transformer 410 by information transmission module 430. Transformer 410 can dynamically modify its transformation of nutritional substance 420 in response to such information to adaptively transform the nutritional substance in order to preserver or improve or minimize the degradation of the nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substance 420.

In the example where the nutritional substance 420 is corn, transformer 410 removes the husk and the silk from the corn. It then separates the kernels from the cob, washes the kernels, and cooks them. In response to the information provided by information transmission module 430, transformer can dynamically modify the cooking temperature and time. For example, if transformer 410 receives information that indicates that the corn is low in certain desirable nutrients, it might lower the cooking temperature and time to preserve those nutrients, thus achieving a more desirable nutritional value related to those specific nutrients in the transformed nutritional substance. However, if transformer 410 receives information that indicates that the corn is high in tough starches, it might raise the cooking temperature and time to soften the corn, thus achieving a more desirable organoleptic value related to the texture of the transformed nutritional substance. Finally, transformer 410 packages the cooked corn in a can and labels the can.

Additionally, transformer 410 can modify its transformation of the nutritional substance in response to measured attributes of the particular nutritional substance 420 being transformed. For example, transformer 410 can measure the color of the corn to be processed, and in response make adjustment to the transformation to preserve or enhance the color of the transformed corn, thus achieving a more desirable aesthetic value related to the appearance of the transformed nutritional substance.

During this adaptive transformation of the nutritional substance 420 by transformer 410, information about the transformation can be captured by transformer 410 and sent to information transmission module 430. This information can include how the transformation was accomplished; including information on any dynamic transformation modifications in response to information about the particular nutritional substance to be transformed, the recipe implemented by transformer 410, and the settings for transformer 410 when the transformation occurred. Additionally, any information created during the transformation by transformer 410 can be sent to the information transmission module 430. This could include measured information, such as the actual cooking temperature, length of time of each of the steps. Additionally, this information could include measured organoleptic, aesthetic, and nutritional information, weight, and physical dimension.

The label on the packaging may contain all the information provided to information transmission module 430. Preferably, this information is referenced by a dynamic information identifier which identifies the information regarding the nutritional substance in the packaging that is being transmitted by information transmission module 430.

In practice, information transmission module 430 would utilize a dynamic information identifier provided with the nutritional substance to retrieve and receive the information regarding the nutritional substance 420 from a database that is being used to track the corn during its journey from the farm to the consumer. When transformer 410 transforms nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430 retrieves the appropriate information from the database, appends it with the information from transformer 410 regarding the transformation, and transmits it to another database. Alternatively, such information would be transmitted back to the original database, including the transformation information. Preferably, the information regarding the corn would simply be appended with the information from transformer 410 about the transformation. Such databases are individually and collectively referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database.

If the nutritional substance 420 can no longer be tracked by the reference information or dynamic information identifier that accompanied the nutritional substance from the creator, then new reference information or a new dynamic information identifier may be created. For example, if the corn is combined with lima beans in the transformer 410, to make succotash, then the information for each may be combined and assigned a new reference number or a new dynamic information identifier. Preferably, a new entry is created in the dynamic nutritional value database, with references to the information related to the corn and the information related to the lima beans.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of conditioner module 500 of the present invention. Conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for conditioning before it is delivered to consumer 540. Controller 530 is operably connected to conditioner system 510. In fact, controller 530 may be integrated within conditioner system 510, or provided as a separate device, shown in FIG. 3.

In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner 570 is provided without controller 530, however it is provided in a format to be compatible with controller 530. Such a conditioner is also referred to herein as an information capable conditioner. In contrast, traditional conditioners, also referred to herein as dumb conditioners, are not information capable, are not compatible with controller 530, and accordingly will always be dumb conditioners. As information enabled nutritional substances and conditioning systems according to the present invention are increasingly available, dumb conditioners will become increasingly obsolete.

Information capable conditioners may be provided in a variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art, and the examples offered herein are for purposed of illustration and not intended to be limiting in any way. In one example of an information capable conditioner, it is provided with traditional functionality, that is, it will interact with nutritional substances in a traditional fashion, whether the nutritional substance is information enabled or not. However, the information capable conditioner is compatible with separately available controller 530, such that at any time during or after the manufacture and sale of the information capable conditioner, controller 530 may be coupled with the information capable conditioner to enable the full functionality and benefit of conditioner module 500. Information capable conditioners provide appliance manufacturers and consumers great flexibility, and will not become obsolete like dumb conditioners.

The coupling of controller 530 to the information capable conditioner may take any physical and/or communication format known to those skilled in the art. These may include, but are not limited to: an information capable conditioner provided with Bluetooth, or other wireless near-field communication capability, to communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530 which may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit; an information capable conditioner provided with a USB port, or other electronic communication capability, to communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530 which may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit; an information capable conditioner provided with a fiber optic port, or other optical communication capability, to communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530 which may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit; or an information capable conditioner provided with WiFi, or other wireless communication capability, to communicate with a WiFi compatible controller 530 which may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit. It is understood that the controller 530 may be provided with its own consumer interface, may communicate and be operated through the consumer interface provided with the information capable conditioner, or a combination of both.

When conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for conditioning, nutritional substance reader 590 either receives information regarding nutritional substance 520 and provides it to controller 530, which is the case if the nutritional substance 520 contains a label which includes the information about nutritional substance 520, and/or the nutritional substance reader 590 receives reference information allowing retrieval of the information and provides it to controller 530, which is the case if the nutritional substance 520 is associated with, or provided with a dynamic information identifier. In the case where nutritional substance 520 contains a label which includes the desired information about nutritional substance 520, nutritional substance reader 590 reads this information, provides it to controller 530, which makes it available to consumer 540 by means of consumer interface 560.

For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a ready-to-eat frozen dinner which needs to be heated by conditioner system 510, nutritional substance reader 590 would read a label on nutritional substance 520, thereby receiving the information regarding nutritional substance 520, and then provide the information to controller 530. This information could include creation information as to the creation of the various components which constitute the ready-to-eat dinner. This information could include information about where and how the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner was grown, including the corn seed used, where it was planted, how it was planted, how it was irrigated, when it was picked, and information on fertilizers and pesticides used during its growth. Additionally, this information could include the cattle lineage, health, immunization, dietary supplements that were fed to the cattle that was slaughtered to obtain the beef in the ready-to-eat dinner.

The information from a label on nutritional substance 520 could also include information on how the components were preserved for shipment from the farm or slaughterhouse on their path to the nutritional substance transformer who prepared the ready-to-eat dinner. Additional information could include how the nutritional substance transformer transformed the components into the ready-to-eat dinner, such as recipe used, additives to the dinner, and actual measured conditions during the transformation into the ready-to-eat dinner.

While such information could be stored on a label located on the packaging for nutritional substance 520 so as to be read by nutritional substance reader 590, provided to controller 530, and provided to consumer interface 560 for display to consumer 540, preferably, the label on the nutritional substance package includes reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier, which is read by nutritional substance reader 590 and provided to controller 530 that allows controller 530 to retrieve the information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional substance database 550. Further, linking consumer feedback and updates regarding observed or measured changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances would provide for virtually real time updates of ΔN information from the actual consumer.

Nutritional substance database 550 could be a database maintained by the transformer of nutritional substance 520 for access by consumers of such nutritional substance 520 to track or estimate changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of those nutritional substances, as well as any other information about the nutritional substance that can be tracked, including but not limited to the examples previously described. However, preferably, nutritional substance database 550 is a database maintained by the nutritional substance industry for all such information regarding nutritional substances grown, raised, preserved, transformed, conditioned and consumed by consumer 540, in which case it is the database contained within information module 100 and also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database.

It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-9 of various embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, controller 530, in addition to providing information regarding nutritional substance 520 to consumer 540, also receives information from conditioner system 510 on how nutritional substance 520 was conditioned. Additionally, conditioner system 510 may also measure or sense information about nutritional substance 520 during its conditioning by conditioner system 510, and provide such information to controller 530, so that such information could also be provided to consumer 540, via consumer interface 560. Further, the controller 530 can receive information from the consumer via consumer interface 560 regarding observed or measured changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances before or after conditioning, to provide virtually real time updates of ΔN information from the actual consumer, for use by the controller and/or transmission to the nutritional substance database 550.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, controller 530 organizes and correlates the information it receives regarding nutritional substance 520 from the various sources of such information, including nutritional substance database 550 and conditioner system 510, and presents such information through consumer interface 560 to consumer 540 in a manner useful to consumer 540. For example, such information may be provided in a manner that assists consumer 540 in understanding how nutritional substance 520 meets consumer's 540 nutritional needs. It could organize information regarding nutritional substance 520 to track consumer's 540 weight loss program. Controller 530 could have access to, or maintain, information regarding consumer 540, so as to track and assist consumer 540 in meeting their specific nutritional needs.

In another embodiment of the present invention conditioner system 510 could be a plurality of conditioner devices which can be selectively operated by controller 530 to prepare nutritional substance 520. Conditioner system 510 can be either a single conditioning device, such as a microwave oven, conventional oven, toaster, blender, steamer, stovetop, or human cook. Conditioner system 510 may be a plurality of conditioners 570. In the case where a plurality of conditioners 570 comprise conditioner system 510, nutritional substance 520 may be manually or automatically transferred between conditioners 570 for eventual transfer to consumer 540.

Nutritional substance reader 590 may be an automatic reader such as a barcode reader or RFID sensor which receives information from nutritional substance 520 or a reference code from nutritional substance 520, such as a dynamic information identifier associated with, or provided with the nutritional substance 520, and provides this information to controller 530. Nutritional substance reader 590 might also be a manual entry system where the reference code, such as a dynamic information identifier associated with, or provided with the nutritional substance 520, is manually entered into nutritional substance reader 590 for use by controller 530, or may alternatively be manually entered into consumer interface 560 for use by controller 530.

Nutritional substance database 550 could be a flat database, relational database or, preferably, a multi-dimensional database. Nutritional substance database 550 could be local but, preferably, it would be located remotely, such as on the internet, and accessed via a telecommunication system, such as a wireless telecommunication system. Controller 530 can be implemented using a computing device, such as a micro-controller, micro-processor, personal computer, or tablet computer. Controller 530 could be integrated to include nutritional substance reader 590, consumer interface 560, and/or nutritional substance database 550. Additionally, controller 530 may be integrated in conditioner system 510, including integration into conditioner 570.

It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-8 of various embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner module 500.

Consumer interface 560 can be implemented as a display device mounted on controller 530, conditioner system 510, or conditioner 570. However, consumer interface 560 is preferably a tablet computer, personal computer, personal assistant, or smart phone, running appropriate software, such as an app.

While conditioner module 500 can be located in the consumer's home, conditioner module 500 may be located at a restaurant or other food service establishment for use in preparing nutritional substances 520 for consumers who patronize such an establishment. Additionally, conditioner module 500 could be located at a nutritional substance seller such as a grocery store or health food store for preparation of nutritional substances 520 purchased by consumers at such an establishment. It could be foreseen that conditioner modules 500 could become standalone businesses where consumers select nutritional substances for preparation at the establishment or removal from the establishment for consumption elsewhere.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of conditioning module 500 of the present invention. Conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for conditioning before it is delivered to consumer 540. Controller 530 is operably connected to conditioner system 510. In fact, controller 530 may be integrated within conditioner system 510, although in FIG. 7, it is shown as a separate device. When conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for conditioning, nutritional substance reader 590 either receives information regarding nutritional substance 520 and provides it to controller 530, which is the case if the nutritional substance 520 contains a label which includes the information about nutritional substance 520, and/or the nutritional substance reader 590 receives reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier, and provides it to controller 530, allowing retrieval of the information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional substance database 550,_which is the case when the nutritional substance is associated with, or provided with, a dynamic information identifier. In the case where nutritional substance 520 contains a label which includes information about nutritional substance 520, nutritional substance reader 590 reads this information, provides it to controller 530 and makes it available to consumer 540 by means of consumer interface 560.

In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner system 510 comprises conditioner 570. Conditioner 570 is a conditioning apparatus which can perform a number of operations on nutritional substance 520, separately and/or at the same time. For example, conditioner 570 could be a combination microwave oven, convection oven, grill, and conventional oven. Controller 530 could operate conditioner 570 to execute a sequence of conditioning cycles on nutritional substance 520 to complete its conditioning.

For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a whole frozen turkey to be prepared for dinner, consumer 540 would place the turkey in conditioner 570, the combination cooking unit suggested above. Controller 530 would receive and/or create a protocol of conditioning cycles. Such a protocol could be read by nutritional substance reader 590 from a label on nutritional substance 520. Alternately, a protocol of conditioning cycles could be obtained from nutritional substance database 550 through reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier, obtained by nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 520. For example, a label on the turkey, could be read by nutritional substance reader 590, providing reference information for the turkey, such as a dynamic information identifier, which controller 530 uses to obtain a conditioning protocol for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550.

An example of such a conditioning protocol for a frozen turkey could be to operate conditioner 570, the combination cooking unit, in the following fashion. First, controller 530 instructs conditioner 570 to use the microwave function of the combination cooking unit to defrost the turkey according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 and possibly according to conditioner information provided by conditioner 570, such as the weight of the turkey and information regarding the defrosting process as measured by conditioner 570. Following defrosting of the turkey, controller 530 next instructs the combination cooking unit to operate as a convection oven to cook the turkey, according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550, for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement of the internal temperature of the turkey, or a combination of measured temperature and time. Following the convection oven cooking of the turkey, controller 530 could instruct the combination cooking unit to grill the turkey, according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550, for a sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy skin. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement by an optical sensor of external aesthetic values of the turkey such as color, change of color, texture, or change of texture. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement by an infrared sensor of the surface temperature of the turkey, or a combination time, measured aesthetic values, and/or measured surface temperature. Finally, controller 530 could instruct the combination cooking unit to use all three cooking functions at the same time to prepare the turkey for optimal consumption according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550.

Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a plurality of conditioners 570. While an automated system for moving a nutritional substance between such conditioners would be optimal, conditioner system 510 could be operated manually by consumer 540 from instructions provided by the controller 530 to consumer interface 560. In this embodiment, controller 530 could provide consumer 540 with instructions as to where to move the turkey after each step in the conditioning protocol. In this example, controller 530 instructs consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to first place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven. Controller 530 instructs the microwave oven to defrost the turkey based on information possibly provided by nutritional substance reader 590, nutritional substance database 550 and/or conditioner 570. Upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven, controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to move the defrosted turkey from the microwave oven to another conditioner 570, a convection oven. Controller 530 would operate the convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, following the cooking cycle in the convection oven, controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to move the turkey from the convection oven to another conditioner 570, a grill. Controller 530 would operate the grill so as to grill the turkey for a sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy skin.

Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a plurality of conditioners 570; and a consumer 540 (which would include any individuals preparing the turkey for consumption), fulfilling additional conditioner rolls, as will be explained. While an automated system for moving a nutritional substance between such conditioners would be optimal, conditioner system 510 could be operated manually by consumer 540 from instructions provided by a consumer interface 560, which in this case could be a handheld device such as a cellular phone, tablet computer, PDA, or any other device useful for communicating with nutritional substance database 550 and the consumer 540. The handheld device additionally fulfills the roll of nutritional substance reader 590 and controller 530. For example, the consumer 540 can utilize a camera function of the handheld device to read a barcode, or QR code, on or associated with the turkey, wherein the code provides a dynamic information identifier. The handheld device can then use the dynamic information identifier to retrieve information regarding the turkey from nutritional substance database 550. In this example, consumer 540 utilizes the handheld device to read a barcode (or any other readable code) on the turkey, the barcode containing a dynamic information identifier associated with information regarding the turkey within the nutritional substance database 550. The consumer 540 uses the handheld device to retrieve and review a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance database 550, and is accordingly instructed as to where to move the turkey for each step in the conditioning protocol and further instructed on the conditioning parameters required for each step of the conditioning protocol. In this example, consumer 540 retrieves and reviews a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance database 550 using the handheld device and is instructed to first place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven, and further instructed on conditioning parameters for the microwave oven to defrost the turkey based. Consumer 540 is instructed that upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven, the turkey is to be moved to another conditioner 570, a convection oven. Consumer 540 is further instructed on conditioning parameters for the convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, consumer 540 is instructed that upon completion of cooking by the convection oven, the turkey is to be moved to another conditioner 570, a grill, and further instructed on conditioning parameters for the grill so as to grill the turkey for a sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy skin.

In the case where conditioner system 510 is a plurality of conditioners 570, it would also be possible for controller 530 to manage conditioners 570 within conditioner system 510 so as to produce a complete meal. For example, controller 530 could select conditioning protocols which would maximize the use of each conditioner 570. For example, in a meal comprising a turkey, home baked bread, and acorn squash, controller 530 could stage and operate the microwave oven, convection oven, and grill to minimize preparation time for the meal by determining which item should be cooked in which conditioner 570, in which order, to maximize usage of each conditioner 570 in conditioning system 510. In this example, while the turkey is being defrosted in the microwave oven, controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to place the bread dough in the convection oven and the acorn squash on the grill. Following the defrosting of the turkey, when the turkey is moved to the convection oven, which finished baking the bread, the bread could be moved to the grill for browning, and the acorn squash could be moved to microwave oven to keep warm until the entire meal is ready.

For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a ready-to-eat frozen dinner which needs to be heated by conditioner system 510, nutritional substance reader 590 would read a label on nutritional substance 520, thereby receiving information regarding nutritional substance 520, and then provide the information to controller 530. This information could include creation information as to the creation of the various components which constitute the ready-to-eat dinner. This information could include information about where and how the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner was grown, including the corn seed used, where it was planted, how it was planted, how it was irrigated, when it was picked, and information on fertilizers and pesticides used during its growth. Additionally, this information could include the cattle lineage, health, immunization, dietary supplements that were fed to the cattle that was slaughtered to obtain the beef in the ready-to-eat dinner.

The information from a label on nutritional substance 520 could also include information on how the components were preserved for shipment from the farm or slaughterhouse on their path to the nutritional substance transformer who prepared the ready-to-eat dinner. Additional information could include how the nutritional substance transformer transformed the components into the ready-to-eat dinner, such as recipe used, additives to the dinner, and actual measured conditions during the transformation into the ready-to-eat dinner.

While such information could be stored on a label located on the packaging for nutritional substance 520 so as to be read by nutritional substance reader 590, provided to controller 530, and provided to consumer interface 560 for display to consumer 540, preferably, the label on the nutritional substance package includes reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier, which is read by nutritional substance reader 590 and provided to controller 530 that allows controller 530 to retrieve the information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional substance database 550. Further, linking consumer feedback and updates regarding observed or measured changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances would provide for virtually real time updates of ΔN information from the actual consumer.

Nutritional substance database 550 could be a database maintained by the transformer of nutritional substance 520 for access by consumers of such nutritional substance 520 to track or estimate changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of those nutritional substances, as well as any other information about the nutritional substance that can be tracked, including but not limited to the examples previously described. However, preferably, nutritional substance database 550 is a database within information module 100 that is maintained by the nutritional substance industry for all such information regarding nutritional substances grown, raised, preserved, transformed, conditioned and consumed by consumer 540, in which case it is the database contained within information module 100 and also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, controller 530, in addition to providing information regarding nutritional substance 520 to consumer 540, also receives information from conditioner system 510 on how nutritional substance 520 was conditioned. Additionally, conditioner system 510 may also measure or sense information about nutritional substance 520 during its conditioning by conditioner system 510, and provide such information to controller 530, so that such information could also be provided to consumer 540, via consumer interface 560.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, controller 530 organizes and correlates the information it receives regarding nutritional substance 520 from the various sources of such information, including nutritional substance database 550 and conditioner system 510, and presents such information through consumer interface 560 to consumer 540 in a manner useful to consumer 540. For example, such information may be provided in a manner that assists consumer 540 in understanding how nutritional substance 520 meets consumer's 540 nutritional needs before or after conditioning, or how it meets the consumer's needs based on various proposed conditioning parameters. It could organize information regarding nutritional substance 520 to track consumer's 540 weight loss program. Controller 530 could have access to, or maintain, information regarding consumer 540, so as to track and assist consumer 540 in meeting their specific nutritional needs.

In another embodiment of the present invention conditioner system 510 could be a plurality of conditioner devices which can be selectively operated by controller 530 to prepare nutritional substance 520. Conditioner system 510 can be either a single conditioning device, such as a microwave oven, conventional oven, toaster, blender, steamer, stovetop, or human cook. Conditioner system 510 may be a plurality of conditioners 570. In the case where a plurality of conditioners 570 comprise conditioner system 510, nutritional substance 520 may be manually or automatically transferred between conditioners 570 for eventual transfer to consumer 540.

Nutritional substance reader 590 may be an automatic reader such as a barcode reader or RFID sensor which receives information from nutritional substance 520 or a reference code from nutritional substance 520, such as a dynamic information identifier, and provides this information to controller 530. Nutritional substance reader 590 might also be a manual entry system where the reference code, such as a dynamic information identifier associated with, or provided with the nutritional substance 520 is manually entered into nutritional substance reader 590 for controller 530.

Nutritional substance database 550 could be a flat database, relational database or, preferably, a multi-dimensional database. Nutritional substance database 550 could be local but, preferably, it would be located remotely, such as on the internet, and accessed via a telecommunication system, such as a wireless telecommunication system. Controller 530 can be implemented using a computing device, such as a micro-controller, micro-processor, personal computer, or tablet computer. Controller 530 could be integrated to include nutritional substance reader 590, consumer interface 560, and/or nutritional substance database 550. Additionally, controller 530 may be integrated in conditioner system 510, including integration into conditioner 570.

It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-9 of various embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner module 500.

Consumer interface 560 can be implemented as a display device mounted on controller 530, conditioner system 510, or conditioner 570. However, consumer interface 560 is preferably a tablet computer, personal computer, personal assistant, or smart phone, running appropriate software, such as an app.

While conditioner module 500 can be located in the consumer's home, conditioner module 500 may be located at a restaurant or other food service establishment for use in preparing nutritional substances 520 for consumers who patronize such an establishment. Additionally, conditioner module 500 could be located at a nutritional substance seller such as a grocery store or health food store for preparation of nutritional substances 520 purchased by consumers at such an establishment. It could be foreseen that conditioner modules 500 could become standalone businesses where consumers select nutritional substances for preparation at the establishment or removal from the establishment for consumption elsewhere.

Additionally, controller 530 uses nutritional substance information retrieved by nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 520, or retrieved from nutritional substance database 550 using reference information obtained by nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 520, to dynamically modify the operation of conditioner system 510 to maintain organoleptic and nutritional properties of nutritional substance 520. For example, if the nutritional substance 520 is a ready-to-eat dinner, controller 530 could modify the instructions to conditioner system 530 in response to information regarding the corn used in the ready-to-eat dinner such that a temperature and cooking duration can be modified to affect the organoleptic, nutritional, taste, and/or appearance of the corn.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the label on nutritional substance 520 could contain the conditioning instructions for nutritional substance 520, or a reference, such as a dynamic information identifier, to such conditioning instructions in nutritional substance database 550. In operation, this would allow controller 530 to obtain information about nutritional substance 520 on how to dynamically operate conditioner system 510 to condition nutritional substance 520, without consumer intervention. Additionally, conditioning instructions for nutritional substance 520 could be provided for a variety of different conditioner systems 510, or conditioners 570, and controller could select the proper conditioning instructions.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, nutritional substance reader 590 and/or conditioner system 510 measures or senses information about the current state of nutritional substance 520 and provides such information to controller 530 to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify operation of conditioner system 510.

In an additional embodiment of the present invention, consumer 540 provides information regarding their needs and/or desires with regard to the nutritional substance 520 to consumer interface 560. Consumer interface 560 provides this information to controller 530 so as to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify conditioning parameters used by conditioner system 510 in the conditioning of nutritional substance 520, or to request from nutritional substance database 550 dynamically modified conditioning parameters to be used by conditioner system 510 in the conditioning of nutritional substance 520. Consumer's 540 needs and/or desires could include nutritional parameters, taste parameters, aesthetic parameters. For example, consumer 540 may have needs for certain nutrients which are present in nutritional substance 520 prior to conditioning. Controller 530 could modify operation of conditioner system 510 so as to preserve such nutrients. For example, conditioner system 500 can cook the nutritional substance at a lower temperature and/or for a shorter duration so as to minimize nutrient loss. The consumer's 540 needs and/or desires may be related to particular nutritional, organoleptic, an/or aesthetic values, and may additionally be related to other nutritional substance attributes that are retrievable through the nutritional substance database 550 using a dynamic information identifier, such as nutritional substance additives, preservatives, genetic modifications, origins, and traceability. Further, the consumer's needs and/or desires could be part of a consumer profile provided to the controller 530 through the consumer interface 560 or otherwise available to controller 530. The consumer's needs and/or desires could be exclusionary in nature, for example no products of animal origin, no peanuts or peanut-derived products, no farm raised products, no pork products, or no imported products. In these cases, the nutritional substance database 550 could provide information that would prevent the consumer from preparing and/or consuming products that the consumer cannot, should not, or prefers not to consume.

The consumer's 540 organoleptic and/or aesthetic desires could include how rare or well done they prefer a particular nutritional substance to be prepared. For example, consumer 540 may prefer his vegetables to be crisp or pasta to be prepared al dente. With such information provided by consumer 540 to controller 530 through consumer interface 560, controller 530 can dynamically modify operation of conditioner system 510 responsive to the consumer information and provide a nutritional substance according to the consumer's desires.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, controller 530 receives information regarding the history of nutritional substance 520, current information on nutritional substance 520, and consumer 540 needs and/or desires, and dynamically modifies operation of conditioner system 510 responsive to the information so as to provide a nutritional substance according to the consumer's needs and/or desires. For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a steak, controller 530 would receive reference information regarding the steak, nutritional substance 520, from nutritional substance reader 590. Controller 530 would use this reference information to obtain information about the steak from nutritional substance database 550. Controller 530 could also receive current information about the steak from nutritional substance reader 590 and/or conditioner 510. Additionally, controller 530 could receive consumer 540 preferences from consumer interface 560. Finally, controller 530 could receive information from conditioner system 510 during the conditioning of the steak, nutritional substance 520. Using some or all of such information, controller 530 would dynamically modify the cooking of the steak to preserve, optimize, or enhance organoleptic, nutritional, and aesthetic properties to meet consumer 540 needs. For example, the steak could be cooked slowly to preserve iron levels within the meat, and also cooked to well-done to meet consumer's 540 taste.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of conditioning module 500 of the present invention. Conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for conditioning before it is delivered to consumer 540. Controller 530 is operably connected to conditioner system 510. In fact, controller 530 may be integrated within conditioner system 510, although in FIG. 5, it is shown as a separate device. When conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for conditioning, nutritional substance reader 590 either receives information regarding nutritional substance 520 and provides it to controller 530, which is the case if the nutritional substance 520 contains a label which includes the information about nutritional substance 520, and/or the nutritional substance reader 590 receives reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier, and provides it to controller 530, allowing retrieval of the information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional substance database 550, which is the case when the nutritional substance is associated with, or provided with, a dynamic information identifier. In the case where nutritional substance 520 contains a label which includes information about nutritional substance 520, nutritional substance reader 590 reads this information, provides it to controller 530 and makes it available to consumer 540 by means of consumer interface 560.

In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner system 510 comprises conditioner 570. Conditioner 570 is a conditioning apparatus which can perform a number of operations on nutritional substance 520, separately and/or at the same time. For example, conditioner 570 could be a combination microwave oven, convection oven, grill, and conventional oven. Controller 530 could operate conditioner 570 to execute a sequence of conditioning cycles on nutritional substance 520 to complete its conditioning.

For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a whole frozen turkey to be prepared for dinner, consumer 540 would place the turkey in conditioner 570, the combination cooking unit suggested above. Controller 530 would receive and/or create a protocol of conditioning cycles. Such a protocol could be read by nutritional substance reader 590 from a label on nutritional substance 520. Alternately, a protocol of conditioning cycles could be obtained from nutritional substance database 550 through reference information such as a dynamic information identifier, obtained by nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 520. For example, a label on the turkey could be read by nutritional substance reader 590, providing reference information for the turkey, such as a dynamic information identifier, which controller 530 uses to obtain a conditioning protocol for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550.

An example of such a conditioning protocol for a frozen turkey could be to operate conditioner 570, the combination cooking unit in the following fashion. First, controller 530 instructs conditioner 570 to use the microwave function of the combination cooking unit to defrost the turkey according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 and possibly according to conditioner information provided by conditioner 570, such as the weight of the turkey and information regarding the defrosting process as measured by conditioner 570. Following defrosting of the turkey, controller 530 next instructs the combination cooking unit to operate as a convection oven to cook the turkey, according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550, for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement of the internal temperature of the turkey, or a combination of measured temperature and time. Following the convection oven cooking of the turkey, controller 530 could instruct the combination cooking unit to grill the turkey, according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550, for a sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy skin. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement by an optical sensor of external aesthetic values of the turkey such as color, change of color, texture, or change of texture. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement by an infrared sensor of the surface temperature of the turkey, or a combination time, measured aesthetic values, and/or measured surface temperature. Finally, controller 530 could instruct the combination cooking unit to use all three cooking functions at the same time to prepare the turkey for optimal consumption according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance database 550.

Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a plurality of conditioners 570. While an automated system for moving a nutritional substance between such conditioners would be optimal, conditioner system 510 could be operated manually by consumer 540 from instructions provided by the controller 530 to consumer interface 560. In this embodiment, controller 530 could provide consumer 540 with instructions as to where to move the turkey after each step in the conditioning protocol. In this example, controller 530 instructs consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to first place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven. Controller 530 instructs the microwave oven to defrost the turkey based on information possibly provided by nutritional substance reader 590, nutritional substance database 550 and/or conditioner 570. Upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven, controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to move the defrosted turkey from the microwave oven to another conditioner 570, a convection oven. Controller 530 would operate the convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, following the cooking cycle in the convection oven, controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to move the turkey from the convection oven to another conditioner 570, a grill. Controller 530 would operate the grill so as to grill the turkey for a sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy skin.

Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a plurality of conditioners 570; and a consumer 540 (which would include any individuals preparing the turkey for consumption), fulfilling additional conditioner rolls, as will be explained. While an automated system for moving a nutritional substance between such conditioners would be optimal, conditioner system 510 could be operated manually by consumer 540 from instructions provided by a consumer interface 560, which in this case could be a handheld device such as a cellular phone, tablet computer, PDA, or any other device useful for communicating with nutritional substance database 550 and the consumer 540. The handheld device additionally fulfills the roll of nutritional substance reader 590 and controller 530. For example, the consumer 540 can utilize a camera function of the handheld device to read a barcode, or QR code, on or associated with the turkey, wherein the code provides a dynamic information identifier. The handheld device can then use the dynamic information identifier to retrieve information regarding the turkey from nutritional substance database 550. In this example, consumer 540 utilizes the handheld device to read a barcode (or any other readable code) on the turkey, the barcode containing a dynamic information identifier associated with information regarding the turkey within the nutritional substance database 550. The consumer 540 uses the handheld device to retrieve and review a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance database 550, and is accordingly instructed as to where to move the turkey for each step in the conditioning protocol and further instructed on the conditioning parameters required for each step of the conditioning protocol. In this example, consumer 540 retrieves and reviews a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance database 550 using the handheld device and is instructed to first place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven, and further instructed on conditioning parameters for the microwave oven to defrost the turkey based. Consumer 540 is instructed that upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven, the turkey is to be moved to another conditioner 570, a convection oven. Consumer 540 is further instructed on conditioning parameters for the convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, consumer 540 is instructed that upon completion of cooking by the convection oven, the turkey is to be moved to another conditioner 570, a grill, and further instructed on conditioning parameters for the grill so as to grill the turkey for a sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy skin.

In the case where conditioner system 510 is a plurality of conditioners 570, it would also be possible for controller 530 to manage conditioners 570 within conditioner system 510 so as to produce a complete meal. For example, controller 530 could select conditioning protocols which would maximize the use of each conditioner 570. For example, in a meal comprising a turkey, home baked bread, and acorn squash, controller 530 could stage and operate the microwave oven, convection oven, and grill to minimize preparation time for the meal by determining which item should be cooked in which conditioner 570, in which order, to maximize usage of each conditioner 570 in conditioning system 510. In this example, while the turkey is being defrosted in the microwave oven, controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to place the bread dough in the convection oven and the acorn squash on the grill. Following the defrosting of the turkey, when the turkey is moved to the convection oven, which finished baking the bread, the bread could be moved to the grill for browning, and the acorn squash could be moved to microwave oven to keep warm., until the entire meal is ready.

For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a ready-to-eat frozen dinner which needs to be heated by conditioner system 510, nutritional substance reader 590 would read a label on nutritional substance 520 thereby receiving information regarding nutritional substance 520, and then provide the information to controller 530. This information could include creation information as to the creation of the various components which constitute the ready-to-eat dinner. This information could include information about where and how the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner was grown, including the corn seed used, where it was planted, how it was planted, how it was irrigated, when it was picked, and information on fertilizers and pesticides used during its growth. Additionally, this information could include the cattle lineage, health, immunization, dietary supplements that were fed to the cattle that was slaughtered to obtain the beef in the ready-to-eat dinner.

The information from a label on nutritional substance 520 could also include information on how the components were preserved for shipment from the farm or slaughterhouse on their path to the nutritional substance transformer who prepared the ready-to-eat dinner. Additional information could include how the nutritional substance transformer transformed the components into the ready-to-eat dinner, such as recipe used, additives to the dinner, and actual measured conditions during the transformation into the ready-to-eat dinner.

While such information could be stored on a label located on the packaging for nutritional substance 520 so as to be read by nutritional substance reader 590, provided to controller 530, and provided to consumer interface 560 for display to consumer 540, preferably, the label on the nutritional substance package includes reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier, which is read by nutritional substance reader 590 and provided to controller 530 that allows controller 530 to retrieve the information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional substance database 550. Further, linking consumer feedback and updates regarding observed or measured changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances would provide for virtually real time updates of ΔN information from the actual consumer.

Nutritional substance database 550 could be a database maintained by the transformer of nutritional substance 520 for access by consumers of such nutritional substance 520 to track or estimate changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of those nutritional substances, as well as any other information about the nutritional substance that can be tracked, including but not limited to the examples previously described. However, preferably, nutritional substance database 550 is a database within information module 100 that is maintained by the nutritional substance industry for all such information regarding nutritional substances grown, raised, preserved, transformed, conditioned and consumed by consumer 540, in which case it is the database contained within information module 100 and also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database.

In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, controller 530, in addition to providing information regarding nutritional substance 520 to consumer 540, also receives information from conditioner system 510 on how nutritional substance 520 was conditioned. Additionally, conditioner system 510 may also measure or sense information about nutritional substance 520 during its conditioning by conditioner system 510, and provide such information to controller 530, so that such information could also be provided to consumer 540, via consumer interface 560.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, controller 530 organizes and correlates the information it receives regarding nutritional substance 520 from the various sources of such information, including nutritional substance database 550 and conditioner system 510, and presents such information through consumer interface 560 to consumer 540 in a manner useful to consumer 540. For example, such information may be provided in a manner that assists consumer 540 in understanding how nutritional substance 520 meets consumer's 540 nutritional needs before or after conditioning, or how it meets the consumer's needs based on various proposed conditioning parameters. It could organize information regarding nutritional substance 520 to track consumer's 540 weight loss program. Controller 530 could have access to, or maintain, information regarding consumer 540, so as to track and assist consumer 540 in meeting their specific nutritional needs.

In another embodiment of the present invention conditioner system 510 could be a plurality of conditioner devices which can be selectively operated by controller 530 to prepare nutritional substance 520. Conditioner system 510 can be either a single conditioning device, such as a microwave oven, conventional oven, toaster, blender, steamer, stovetop, or human cook. Conditioner system 510 may be a plurality of conditioners 570. In the case where a plurality of conditioners 570 comprise conditioner system 510, nutritional substance 520 may be manually or automatically transferred between conditioners 570 for eventual transfer to consumer 540.

Nutritional substance reader 590 may be an automatic reader such as a barcode reader or RFID sensor which receives information from nutritional substance 520 or a reference code from nutritional substance 520, such as a dynamic information identifier, and provides this information to controller 530. Nutritional substance reader 590 might also be a manual entry system where the reference code, such as a dynamic information identifier associated with, or provided with the nutritional substance 520 is manually entered into nutritional substance reader 590 for controller 530.

Nutritional substance database 550 could be a flat database, relational database or, preferably, a multi-dimensional database. Nutritional substance database 550 could be local but, preferably, it would be located remotely, such as on the internet, and accessed via a telecommunication system, such as a wireless telecommunication system. Controller 530 can be implemented using a computing device, such as a micro-controller, micro-processor, personal computer, or tablet computer. Controller 530 could be integrated to include nutritional substance reader 590, consumer interface 560, and/or nutritional substance database 550. Additionally, controller 530 may be integrated in conditioner system 510, including integration into conditioner 570.

It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-9 of various embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner module 500.

Consumer interface 560 can be implemented as a display device mounted on controller 530, conditioner system 510, or conditioner 570. However, consumer interface 560 is preferably a tablet computer, personal computer, personal assistant, or smart phone, running appropriate software, such as an app.

While conditioner module 500 can be located in the consumer's home, conditioner module 500 may be located at a restaurant or other food service establishment for use in preparing nutritional substances 520 for consumers who patronize such an establishment. Additionally, conditioner module 500 could be located at a nutritional substance seller such as a grocery store or health food store for preparation of nutritional substances 520 purchased by consumers at such an establishment. It could be foreseen that conditioner modules 500 could become standalone businesses where consumers select nutritional substances for preparation at the establishment or removal from the establishment for consumption elsewhere.

Additionally, controller 530 uses nutritional substance information retrieved by nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 420, or retrieved from nutritional substance database 550 using reference information obtained by nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 420, to dynamically modify the operation of conditioner system 510 to maintain nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic properties of nutritional substance 420. For example, if the nutritional substance 420 is a ready-to-eat dinner, controller 530 could modify the instructions to conditioner system 530 in response to source and ΔN information regarding corn used in the ready-to-eat dinner such that a temperature and cooking duration can be modified to affect the nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic properties of the corn. Further, the modified conditioning parameters may be directly intended to optimize a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic property of the corn targeted by the transformer of the ready-to-eat dinner during transformation.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the label on nutritional substance 420 could contain the conditioning instructions for nutritional substance 420, or a reference, such as a dynamic information identifier, to such conditioning instructions in nutritional substance database 550. In operation, this would allow controller 530 to obtain information about nutritional substance 420 on how to dynamically operate conditioner system 510 to condition nutritional substance 420, without consumer intervention. Additionally, conditioning instructions for nutritional substance 420 could be provided for a variety of different conditioner systems 510, or conditioners 570, and controller could select the proper conditioning instructions. The dynamic operation of conditioner system 510 may be directly intended to optimize a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic property of the nutritional substance targeted by the transformer of the nutritional substance during transformation.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, nutritional substance reader 590 and/or conditioner system 510 measures or senses information about the current state of nutritional substance 520 and provides such information to controller 530 to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify operation of conditioner system 510.

In an additional embodiment of the present invention, consumer 540 provides information regarding their needs and/or desires with regard to the nutritional substance 520 to consumer interface 560. Consumer interface 560 provides this information to controller 530 so as to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify conditioning parameters used by conditioner system 510 in the conditioning of nutritional substance 520, or to request from nutritional substance database 550 dynamically modified conditioning parameters to be used by conditioner system 510 in the conditioning of nutritional substance 520. Consumer's 540 needs and/or desires could include nutritional parameters, taste parameters, aesthetic parameters. For example, consumer 540 may have needs for certain nutrients which are present in nutritional substance 520 prior to conditioning. Controller 530 could modify operation of conditioner system 510 so as to preserve such nutrients. For example, conditioner system 500 can cook the nutritional substance at a lower temperature and/or for a shorter duration so as to minimize nutrient loss. The consumer's 540 needs and/or desires may be related to particular nutritional, organoleptic, an/or aesthetic values, and may additionally be related to other nutritional substance attributes that are retrievable through the nutritional substance database 550 using a dynamic information identifier, such as nutritional substance additives, preservatives, genetic modifications, origins, and traceability. Further, the consumer's needs and/or desires could be part of a consumer profile provided to the controller 530 through the consumer interface 560 or otherwise available to controller 530. The consumer's needs and/or desires could be exclusionary in nature, for example no products of animal origin, no peanuts or peanut-derived products, no farm raised products, no pork products, no horsemeat products, or no imported products. In these cases, the nutritional substance database 550 could provide information that would prevent the consumer from preparing and/or consuming products that the consumer cannot, should not, or prefers not to consume.

The consumer's 540 nutritional, organoleptic or aesthetic desires could include how rare or well done they prefer a particular nutritional substance to be prepared. For example, consumer 540 may prefer his vegetables to be crisp or pasta to be prepared al dente. With such information provided by consumer 540 to controller 530 through consumer interface 560, controller 530 can dynamically modify operation of conditioner system 510 responsive to the consumer information and provide a nutritional substance according to the consumer's desires.

In an embodiment of the present invention, controller 530 receives information regarding the history of nutritional substance 420, current information on nutritional substance 420, and consumer 540 needs or desires, and dynamically modifies operation of conditioner system 510 responsive to the information so as to provide a nutritional substance according to the consumer's needs or desires. For example, if nutritional substance 420 is a steak, controller 530 would receive reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier, regarding the steak, nutritional substance 420, from nutritional substance reader 590. Controller 530 would use this reference information to obtain information about the steak from nutritional substance database 550. Controller 530 could also receive current information about the steak from nutritional substance reader 590 or conditioner 510. Additionally, controller 530 could receive consumer 540 preferences from consumer interface 560. Finally, controller 530 could receive information from conditioner system 510 during the conditioning of the steak, nutritional substance 420. Using some or all of such information, controller 530 would dynamically modify the cooking of the steak to preserve, optimize, or enhance organoleptic, nutritional, and aesthetic properties to meet the consumer's 540 needs. For example, the steak could be cooked slowly to preserve iron levels within the meat, and also cooked to well-done to meet consumer's 540 taste.

Conditioner system 510 can prepare a nutritional substance for consumer 540 which contains a plurality of nutritional substances 520. Conditioner module 500 includes recipe database 555 which is operably connected to controller 530. Recipe database 555 can be part of nutritional substance database 550, or it can be a stand-alone database. While recipe database 555 can be located locally, it is preferably accessible to many conditioner modules 500 through a telecommunications system such as the internet, including wireless telecommunications systems.

Controller 530 is also preferably connected to consumer database 580. Consumer database 580 may be additionally connected to consumer interface 560. Consumer database 580 could include consumer's 540 organoleptic and nutritional needs, and consumer 540 preferences, and could be in the form of a consumer profile custom tailored to an individual consumer or selected from a menu of consumer profiles. Consumer database 580 may receive input regarding consumer 540 from consumer 540, but could also include information supplied by consumer's 540 medical records, exercise records for the consumer's gym, and other information sources. Consumer database 580 could include information regarding regulatory actions and/or manufacturer warnings or recalls of nutritional substances which may be obtained, have been obtained, or may be prepared or consumed by the consumer. Additionally, consumer database 580 could include information regarding consumer's 540 preferences provided by controller 530 for previous nutritional substance 520 conditionings. Finally, consumer database 580 could include consumer preferences from external sources such as restaurants and grocery stores where consumer 540 purchases nutritional substances 520. Finally, consumer database 580 could include information from consumer module 600, in FIG. 1.

Consumer database 580 could be a local database maintained by controller 530 or consumer interface 560. Preferably, consumer database 580 is part of a nutritional substance industry database containing such information regarding a plurality of consumers 540.

For example, controller 530 can operate to select the necessary ingredients, nutritional substance 420, to prepare a meal. In this case, nutritional substance 420 could be a plurality of nutritional substances 420. In operation, consumer 540 could select a dinner menu using consumer interface 560. Additionally, consumer 540 could select a specific recipe from recipe database 555 or could select a recipe source within database 555, such as low salt meals or recipes by a certain well-known chef. Controller 530 could prepare a shopping list for consumer 540 through consumer interface 560. Alternatively, controller 530 could transmit a shopping list to a nutritional substance 420 supplier such as a grocery store, so consumer 540 could pick up such items already selected or could have such items delivered.

Alternatively, if instructed by consumer 540 to utilize nutritional substances on hand, which have been logged into controller 530 through nutritional substance reader 590, controller 530 could modify or suggest a recipe that used only nutritional substances 520 available to conditioner module 500. For example, if consumer 540 instructs conditioner module 500 through conditioner interface 560 that consumer 540 would like Italian food in the style of a well-known Italian chef, controller 530 would utilize information in its various databases to prepare such a meal. In this case, controller 530 would match its inventory of available nutritional substances with recipes from the well-known Italian chef in recipe database 555 and find available recipes. Controller 530 could select a recipe that optimized consumer's 540 needs and preferences and prepare a meal using conditioner system 510. Alternatively, controller 530 could present various options to consumer 540 using consumer interface 560, highlighting features of each available meal from the standpoint of consumer's 540 nutritional needs and/or preferences.

In FIG. 9, nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, and consumer database 580 are part of nutritional substance industry database 558. Controller 530 would communicate with nutritional substance industry database 558 through a communication system such as the internet, and preferably a telecommunications system such as wireless telecommunications. In such an arrangement, controller 530 could even verify that local supermarkets have the items in stock, retrieve and transmit a route to get to the supermarket from the consumer's current location, and further retrieve and transmit a route to follow within the supermarket to efficiently obtain the items.

It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-8 of various embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner module 500.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a consumer wishing to condition a nutritional substance using a conditioning appliance according to the present invention can determine, and knowingly affect, the true residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance after he puts it in the conditioning appliance. To do so, the consumer would scan a dynamic information identifier provided with the nutritional substance using a scanner provided with the conditioning appliance. This enables the conditioning appliance's controller to retrieve, from the nutritional substance industry database, information related to changes in nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values (ΔN information) referenced to the dynamic information identifier. Thereafter, the conditioning appliance controller can request and receive input from the consumer by providing options for the consumer to choose from through a consumer interface, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, which may be a panel, screen, keyboard, or any known type of user interface. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel provides the consumer with the ability to input the desired end results for the residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value that will remain after conditioning, such as by choosing among different possible end results offered by the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The controller then creates, or retrieves from the nutritional substance industry database, adaptive conditioning parameters that are responsive to: the ΔN information retrieved from the nutritional substance industry database using the dynamic information identifier; and the consumer input obtained through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. These adaptive conditioning parameters, also referred to herein as an adaptive preparation sequence, are then communicated to the consumer for implementation through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, or alternatively, automatically implemented by the controller.

For example, the consumer is ready to prepare a macaroni and cheese entrée using a combination microwave, convection, and grill oven, according to the present invention. Further, the consumer wants to serve the entrée as soon as possible. The consumer first uses the combination oven's scanner to scan the dynamic information identifier provided with the macaroni and cheese entrée. The dynamic information identifier may be an optically readable label, an RFID tag, or any other known format compatible with the combination oven's scanner, attached to, or incorporated into, the nutritional substance or its packaging. The combination oven controller then retrieves the ΔN information referenced to the dynamic information identifier from the nutritional substance industry database. The conditioning appliance's controller additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the macaroni and cheese entrée following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. It is understood that these options may be presented in any known fashion, and while particular presentation forms will be discussed herein, they are in no way limiting. In this example, the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel presents options for the consumer to choose from in a format similar to the options provided by routing and navigation applications (i.e. “shortest distance”, “shortest time”, “least freeway travel”, and so forth). For instance, the options provided by the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel may be “fastest preparation time”, “highest nutritional value”, and “crispy topping” (corresponding to highest oganoleptic value for texture). The consumer can find out more detailed information regarding the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from a particular option by selecting that option, whereupon the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel will provide a summary of the corresponding residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, also referred to herein as a nutritional substance residual value table. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel may further provide other useful information, such as, but not limited to, the corresponding amount of conditioning time required to achieve the selected option. If the consumer determines that he is not pleased with his selection based upon the more detailed information provided through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, particularly the information in the nutritional substance residual value table, he can return to the previous screen and choose another option. The consumer can continue to select options, review the more detailed information in the corresponding nutritional substance residual value table, as well as the other useful information provided, until he determines that an option meets his requirements. Upon determining that an option meets his needs, particularly needs related to the information about residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values summarized by the nutritional substance residual value table, the consumer proceeds with the option using the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, such as by selecting “proceed”. The conditioning appliance controller then implements the adaptive preparation sequence, that is, the adaptive conditioning parameters that are responsive to: the ΔN information it has retrieved from the nutritional substance industry database using the dynamic information identifier provided with the macaroni and cheese entrée; and the consumer input obtained through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The adaptive preparation sequence assures that the consumer will be provided with a conditioned macaroni and cheese entrée that meets his needs, particularly his needs related to residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the conditioned entrée.

In one example of the present invention, the consumer wishing to prepare the macaroni and cheese entrée selects the “fastest preparation time” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as he needs to eat as soon as possible. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively conditioning the macaroni and cheese entrée with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value table that one of the entrée's residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its complex carbohydrate content, will be 20% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual nutritional values, such as residual protein content, residual folic acid content, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual value table that the entrée's residual organoleptic value for the crispness of its topping after conditioning, will be 10%, where 0% represents not at all crisp and 100% represents very crisp. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the macaroni will be aldente, a rating for overall moistness of the casserole, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the conditioning will take only 10 minutes. Today, preparation time is the most important criteria to the consumer, so he proceeds by placing the macaroni and cheese entrée into the combination oven, closing its door, and selecting the “proceed” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the macaroni and cheese entrée according to the adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's controller can automatically implement the adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other things while the entrée is adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the application of microwave at high intensity with a few seconds of grill at the end of the sequence to cause a small amount of crispness in the topping.

On another day, the same consumer is again going to prepare another one of the same macaroni and cheese entrées in his combination oven. He remembers that the last time he did, he was impressed with the speed of preparation, but wished it would have had higher residual complex carbohydrate values and also wished it had a more crispy topping. Today he has no time constraints, and is more interested in the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that can be achieved. He scans the dynamic information identifier with the scanner on his combination oven. The oven's controller retrieves ΔN information referenced to the dynamic information identifier from the nutritional substance industry database and additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the macaroni and cheese entrée following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The options are “fastest preparation time”, “highest nutritional value”, and “crispy topping”. The consumer selects the “highest nutritional value” option from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as he wants to eat a healthy meal. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively conditioning the macaroni and cheese entrée with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value table that one of the entrée's residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its complex carbohydrate content, will be 80% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual nutritional values, such as residual protein content, residual folic acid content, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual value table that the entrée's residual organoleptic value for the crispness of its topping after conditioning, will be 30%, where 0% represents not at all crisp and 100% represents very crisp. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the macaroni will be aldente, a rating for overall moistness of the casserole, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the conditioning will take 40 minutes. Today, residual nutritional value is the most important criteria to the consumer, so he proceeds by placing the macaroni and cheese entrée into the combination oven, closing its door, and selecting the “proceed” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the macaroni and cheese entrée according to the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's controller can automatically implement the adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other things while the entrée is adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the application of convection heat with a minute of grill at the end of the sequence to cause a small amount of crispness in the topping without burning the cheese exposed to the grill.

On yet another day, the same consumer is again going to prepare another one of the same macaroni and cheese entrées in his combination oven. He remembers that the last time he did, he was impressed with the high residual nutritional value of the entrée, but wondered if he could achieve a still more crispy topping while achieving acceptable residual nutritional value. Today he has no time constraints, and is more interested in the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that can be achieved. He scans the dynamic information identifier with the scanner on his combination oven. The oven's controller retrieves ΔN information referenced to the dynamic information identifier from the nutritional substance industry database and additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the macaroni and cheese entrée following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to choose from through a consumer interface, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The options are “fastest preparation time”, “highest nutritional value”, and “crispy topping”. The consumer selects the “crispy topping” option from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as he initially wants to find out what the residual nutritional value will be if he prepares the entrée according to his organoleptic preference for a crispy topping. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively conditioning the macaroni and cheese entrée with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value table that one of the entrée's residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its complex carbohydrate content, will be 75% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual nutritional values, such as residual protein content, residual folic acid content, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual value table that the entrée's residual organoleptic value for the crispness of its topping after conditioning, will be 97%, where 0% represents not at all crisp and 100% represents very crisp. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the macaroni will be aldente, a rating for overall moistness of the casserole, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the conditioning will take 90 minutes. Today, the residual organoleptic value related to the topping crispness is the most important criteria to the consumer, and he has verified that he makes only a small sacrifice in the residual nutritional value to achieve this, so he proceeds by placing the macaroni and cheese entrée into the combination oven, closing its door, and selecting the “proceed” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the macaroni and cheese entrée according to the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's controller can automatically implement the adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other things while the entrée is adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the application of low convection heat with 3 intervals of 1 minute of grill at the end of the sequence to cause a significant amount of crispness in the topping.

FIG. 12 shows an alternate embodiment of a conditioner module according to the present invention, wherein a conditioner, also referred to herein as a conditioning appliance, may have features enabling it to communicate with an alternate database that facilitates identification of a nutritional substance to be conditioned without the need for a dynamic information identifier. Such features may include, but are not limited to, sensors capable of measuring and collecting data regarding visual appearance, taste, smell, volatiles, texture, touch, sound, chemical composition, temperature, weight, volume, density, hardness, viscosity, surface tension, and any other known physical attribute of the nutritional substance, and are also referred to herein as nutritional substance attribute sensors. These may include, but are not limited to, optical sensors, laser sensors, cameras, electric noses, microphones, olfactory sensors, surface topography measurement equipment, three dimensional measuring equipment, chemical assays, hardness measuring equipment, ultrasound equipment, impedance detectors, temperature measuring equipment, weight measurement equipment, and any known sensor capable of providing data regarding a physical attribute of a nutritional substance. The alternate database would consist of a massive library of nutritional substance attribute data, related to the visual appearance, taste, smell, texture, touch, chemical composition and any other known physical attributes, referenced to corresponding nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic states of known nutritional substances, and is herein referred to as the nutritional substance attribute library.

At this juncture it can be understood that a nutritional, organoleptic or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance can be indicated by its olfactory values. Typically, but not necessarily, olfactory values are detectable by the human sense of smell. However, nutritional substance may emit or produce gaseous components that are not detectable or discernable by the human sense of smell but, nevertheless, may be indicative of particular nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state of the nutritional substance. In addition, olfactory values can be indicative of contamination or adulteration of nutritional substances by other substances.

It is understood that the utilization of the nutritional substance attribute sensors according to the present invention can provide beneficial information regarding adulteration or mislabeling of nutritional substances.

In an example of a conditioning appliance equipped with nutritional substance attribute sensors, a consumer places a turkey breast in a combination microwave, convection, and grill oven equipped with nutritional substance attribute sensors. The nutritional substance attribute sensors collect a variety of physical attribute data from the turkey breast. The conditioning appliance's controller then transmits the physical attribute data collected to the nutritional substance industry database, for comparison to the nutritional substance attribute library contained therein. It is understood that while FIG. 12 shows the nutritional substance industry database as part of the conditioner module, it may reside in the information module. It is further understood that while the nutritional substance attribute library is shown as part of the nutritional substance industry database, this only for the purposes of example and not intended to be limiting in any way, and it may reside within the information module or may exist as an independent database. When a match is found for the physical attribute data collected from the turkey breast placed in the conditioning appliance, the nutritional substance industry database can determine that the matching nutritional substance attribute library dataset corresponds to a turkey breast with known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, and that it weighs 2 pounds and is at a temperature of 40 deg. F. Thereafter, the conditioning appliance controller can request input from the consumer by providing options for the consumer to choose from through a consumer interface, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, which may be a panel, screen, keyboard, or any known type of user interface. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel provides the consumer with the ability to input the desired end results for the residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value that will remain after conditioning, such as by choosing among different possible end results offered by the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The controller then creates, or retrieves from the nutritional substance industry database, adaptive conditioning parameters that are responsive to: the nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic value information retrieved from the nutritional substance industry database using the nutritional substance attribute library; and the consumer input obtained through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. These adaptive conditioning parameters, also referred to herein as adaptive preparation sequence, are then communicated to the consumer for implementation through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, or alternatively, automatically implemented by the controller.

In the above example, the consumer is ready to prepare a turkey breast using a combination microwave, convection, and grill oven equipped with nutritional substance attribute sensors. The consumer places the turkey breast in the combination oven, where the oven's nutritional substance attribute sensors sense various physical attribute data from the turkey breast. The combination oven controller then transmits the sensed attribute data to the nutritional substance industry database for comparison to the nutritional substance attribute library. The nutritional substance industry database determines that the sensed data matches the nutritional substance attribute library dataset corresponding to turkey breast having specific nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, and also determines that its weight and temperature. The conditioning appliance's controller additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the turkey breast following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. It is understood that these options may be presented in any known fashion, and while particular presentation forms will be discussed herein, they are in no way limiting. In this example, the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel presents options for the consumer to choose from in a format similar to the options provided by routing and navigation applications (i.e. “shortest distance”, “shortest time”, “least freeway travel”, and so forth). For instance, the options provided by the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel may be “fastest preparation time”, “highest nutritional value”, and “tender” (corresponding to highest residual oganoleptic value for texture). The consumer can find out more detailed information regarding the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from a particular option by selecting that option, whereupon the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel will provide a summary of the corresponding residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, also referred to herein as a nutritional substance residual value table. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel may further provide other useful information, such as, but not limited to, the corresponding amount of conditioning time required to achieve the selected option. If the consumer determines that he is not pleased with his selection based upon the more detailed information provided through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, particularly the information in the nutritional substance residual value table, he can return to the previous screen and choose another option. The consumer can continue to select options, review the more detailed information in the nutritional substance residual value table, as well as the other useful information provided, until he determines that an option meets his requirements. Upon determining that an option meets his needs, particularly needs related to the information about residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values summarized by the nutritional substance residual value table, the consumer can proceed with the option by using the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, such as by selecting “proceed”. The conditioning appliance controller then implements adaptive conditioning parameters that are responsive to: the information it has retrieved from the nutritional substance industry database by comparing sensed physical attribute data to the nutritional substance attribute library; and the consumer input obtained through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. These adaptive conditioning parameters, also referred to herein as adaptive preparation sequence, assure that the consumer will be provided with an adaptively conditioned turkey breast that meets his needs, particularly his needs related to residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the adaptively conditioned turkey breast.

In one example of the present invention, the consumer wishing to prepare the turkey breast selects the “fastest preparation time” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as he needs to eat as soon as possible. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively conditioning the turkey breast with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value table that one of the turkey breast's residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its residual protein content, will be 60% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual nutritional values, such as residual complex carbohydrate content, residual fat content, residual folic acid content, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual value table that the turkey breast's residual organoleptic value for tenderness after conditioning will be 10%, where 0% represents not at all tender and 100% represents very tender. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the turkey breast will be well done, a rating for overall moistness of the turkey breast, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the adaptive conditioning will take only 8 minutes. Today, preparation time is the most important criteria to the consumer, so he proceeds by selecting the “proceed” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the turkey breast according to the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's controller can automatically implement the adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other things while the turkey breast is adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the application of microwave at high intensity with a few seconds of grill at the end of the sequence to cause a small amount of crispness in the skin.

On another day, the same consumer is again going to prepare a similar turkey breast in his combination oven. He remembers that the last time he did, he was impressed with the speed of preparation, but wished it would have had higher residual protein value and also wished it had been more tender. Today he has no time constraints, and is more interested in the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that can be achieved. He places the turkey breast in the combination oven, where the oven's nutritional substance attribute sensors sense various physical attribute data from the turkey breast. The conditioning appliance's controller then transmits the physical attribute data collected to the nutritional substance industry database, for comparison to the nutritional substance attribute library contained therein. When a match is found for the physical attribute data collected from the turkey breast, the nutritional substance industry database can determine that the matching nutritional substance attribute library dataset corresponds to a turkey breast with known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, and that it weighs 2.2 pounds and is at a temperature of 42 deg. F. The controller additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the turkey breast following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The options are “fastest preparation time”, “highest nutritional value”, and “tender”. The consumer selects the “highest nutritional value” option from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as he wants to eat a healthy meal. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively conditioning the turkey breast with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value table that one of the turkey breast's residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its protein content, will be 90% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual nutritional values, such as residual complex carbohydrate content, residual folic acid content, residual fat content, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual value table that the turkey breast's residual organoleptic value for tenderness after conditioning will be 50%, where 0% represents not at all tender and 100% represents very tender. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the turkey breast will be well done, a rating for overall moistness of the turkey breast, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the conditioning will take 40 minutes. Today, residual nutritional value is the most important criteria to the consumer, so he proceeds by selecting the “proceed” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the turkey breast according to the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's controller can automatically implement the adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other things while the turkey breast is adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the application of convection heat with two minutes of grill at the end of the sequence to cause a small amount of crispness in the skin without burning the skin exposed to the grill.

On yet another day, the same consumer is again going to prepare a similar turkey breast in his combination oven. He remembers that the last time he did this he was impressed with the high residual nutritional value of the turkey breast, but wondered if he could achieve a still more tender turkey breast with acceptable residual nutritional values. Today he has no time constraints, and is more interested in the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that can be achieved. He places the turkey breast in the combination oven, where the oven's nutritional substance attribute sensors sense various physical attribute data from the turkey breast. The conditioning appliance's controller then transmits the physical attribute data collected to the nutritional substance industry database, for comparison to the nutritional substance attribute library contained therein. When a match is found for the physical attribute data collected from the turkey breast, the nutritional substance industry database can determine that the matching nutritional substance attribute library dataset corresponds to a turkey breast with known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, and that it weighs 2.1 pounds and is at a temperature of 41 deg. F. The controller additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the turkey breast following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The options are “fastest preparation time”, “highest nutritional value”, and “tender”. The consumer selects the “tender” option from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as he prefers to eat a tender piece of turkey breast if he can determine that it is still a healthy meal. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively conditioning the turkey breast with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value table that one of the turkey breast's residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its residual protein content, will be 88% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual nutritional values, such as residual complex carbohydrate content, residual folic acid content, residual fat content, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual value table that the turkey breast's residual organoleptic value for tenderness after conditioning will be 98%, where 0% represents not at all tender and 100% represents very tender. It is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the turkey breast will be well done, a rating for overall moistness of the turkey breast, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the conditioning will take 80 minutes. Today, residual organoleptic value, specifically tenderness, is the most important criteria to the consumer, so he proceeds by selecting the “proceed” option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the turkey breast according to the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's controller can automatically implement the adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other things while the turkey breast is adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the application of low convection heat with two cycles of 3 minutes of grill at the end of the sequence to cause a moderate amount of crispness in the skin.

In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner 570 is provided without controller 530 and nutritional substance attribute sensors 591, however it is provided in a format to be compatible with controller 530 and nutritional substance attribute sensors 591. Such a conditioner is also referred to herein as an information and sensing capable conditioner. In contrast, traditional conditioners, also referred to herein as dumb conditioners, are not information and sensing capable, are not compatible with controller 530 and nutritional attribute sensors 591, and accordingly will always be dumb conditioners. As information and sensing enabled conditioning systems according to the present invention are increasingly available, dumb conditioners will become increasingly obsolete.

Information and sensing capable conditioners may be provided in a variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art, and the examples offered herein are for purposed of illustration and not intended to be limiting in any way. In one example of an information and sensing capable conditioner, it is provided with traditional functionality, that is, it will interact with nutritional substances in a traditional fashion. However, the information and sensing capable conditioner is compatible with separately available controller 530 and nutritional substance attribute sensors 591, such that at any time during or after the manufacture and sale of the information and sensing capable conditioner, controller 530 and nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 may be coupled with the information and sensing capable conditioner to enable the full functionality and benefit of conditioner module 500. Information and sensing capable conditioners provide appliance manufacturers and consumers great flexibility, and will not become obsolete like dumb conditioners.

The coupling of controller 530 and nutritional attribute sensors 591 to the information and sensing capable conditioner may take any physical and/or communication format known to those skilled in the art. These may include, but are not limited to: an information and sensing capable conditioner provided with Bluetooth, or other wireless near-field communication capability, to communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530, wherein nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 are coupled with, or in communication with, controller 530. The controller 530 may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit, while portions of the nutritional substance attribute sensors may be positioned in proximity to, on, or within the conditioner 570, such as in ports or windows provided with the information and sensing capable conditioner; an information and sensing capable conditioner provided with a USB port, or other electrical communication capability, to communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530, wherein nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 are coupled with, or in communication with, controller 530. The controller 530 may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit, while portions of the nutritional substance attribute sensors may be positioned in proximity to, on, or within the information and sensing capable conditioner, such as in ports or windows provided with the information and sensing capable conditioner; an information and sensing capable conditioner provided with a fiber optic port, or other optical communication capability, to communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530, wherein nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 are coupled with, or in communication with, controller 530. The controller 530 may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit, while portions of the nutritional substance attribute sensors may be positioned in proximity to, on, or within the information and sensing capable conditioner, such as in ports or windows provided with the information and sensing capable conditioner; or an information and sensing capable conditioner provided with WiFi, or other wireless communication capability, to communicate with a WiFi compatible controller 530, wherein nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 are coupled with, or in communication with, controller 530. The controller 530 may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit, while portions of the nutritional substance attribute sensors may be positioned in proximity to, on, or within the conditioner 570, such as in ports or windows provided with the information and sensing capable conditioner. It is understood that the controller 530 may be provided with its own consumer interface, may communicate and be operated through the consumer interface provided with the information and sensing capable conditioner, or a combination of both.

It is understood that nutritional substance attribute sensors according to the present inventions, can beneficially be provided with, or combined with, other nutritional substance modules, including transformation, preservation, and consumer modules. For example, the nutritional substance attribute sensors could be provided with the local storage environments, containers, and coupons described herein. Nutritional substance attribute sensors, or at least a portion of the nutritional substance attribute sensor, could be provided with or incorporated into the package of any pre-packaged nutritional substance, such that a consumer may interrogate the package without disrupting its integrity to obtain information related to a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance contained therein. Further, nutritional substance attribute sensors, or at least a portion of the nutritional substance attribute sensor, could be provided with, coupled to, or incorporated into smartphones. This would enable a wide array of users and scenarios wherein nutritional substances can be identified and their current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state can be determined.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense (i.e., to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”), as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense. As used herein, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variant thereof means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements. Such a coupling or connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word “or,” in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.

The above Detailed Description of examples of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific examples for the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize While processes or blocks are presented in a given order in this application, alternative implementations may perform routines having steps performed in a different order, or employ systems having blocks in a different order. Some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to provide alternative or sub-combinations. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks may instead be performed or implemented in parallel, or may be performed at different times. Further any specific numbers noted herein are only examples. It is understood that alternative implementations may employ differing values or ranges.

The various illustrations and teachings provided herein can also be applied to systems other than the system described above. The elements and acts of the various examples described above can be combined to provide further implementations of the invention.

Any patents and applications and other references noted above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts included in such references to provide further implementations of the invention.

These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description describes certain examples of the invention, and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in its specific implementation, while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.

While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the applicant contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. For example, while only one aspect of the invention is recited as a means-plus-function claim under 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, other aspects may likewise be embodied as a means-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being embodied in a computer-readable medium. Any claims intended to be treated under 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶6 will begin with the words “means for.” Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention. 

1. A dynamic conditioning system for nutritional substances comprising: a reader for detecting a dynamic information identifier provided with a nutritional substance; an input panel for receiving a consumer's input regarding the nutritional substance; a database with information referenced to the dynamic information identifier and related to a ΔN of the nutritional substance; and a controller configured to set a conditioning protocol operable to control a conditioner based on at least the ΔN and the consumer's input received by the input panel.
 2. A dynamic conditioning system for nutritional substances according to claim 1, wherein the controller automatically implements the at least one conditioning protocol operable to control the conditioning system.
 3. A dynamic conditioning system for nutritional substance according to claim 1, wherein the at least one conditioning protocol includes a conditioning temperature.
 4. A dynamic conditioning system for nutritional substance according to claim 1, wherein the at least one conditioning protocol includes a conditioning time.
 5. A dynamic conditioning system for conditioning nutritional substances comprising: an input panel for receiving information relating to the identity of a nutritional substance; a library comprising datasets relating to changes of nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values of nutritional substances based on various conditioning protocols; a controller configured to calculate estimated changes in nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values for the nutritional substance based on prospective conditioning protocols; and a display that displays the estimated changes in nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values for the nutritional substance based on at least one the prospective conditioning protocols.
 6. A dynamic conditioning system for nutritional substances according to claim 5, wherein the controller implements the at least one prospective condition protocol responsive to a consumer's input through the input panel.
 7. A dynamic conditioning system for nutritional substances according to claim 5, wherein the at least one prospective conditioning protocol include at least a time and temperature.
 8. A dynamic local storage system for storing nutritional substances comprising: a reader for detecting a dynamic information identifier provided with a nutritional substance; a database with information referenced to the dynamic information identifier and related to a ΔN of the nutritional substance; and a menu panel for communicating the ΔN to a consumer, and wherein the controller sets at least one local storage environment protocol based on at least the ΔN.
 9. A dynamic local storage system for nutritional substances according to claim 8, wherein the menu panel communicates the ΔN information through a dynamic nutritional value table.
 10. A dynamic local storage system for nutritional substances according to claim 8, wherein the at least one local storage environment protocol is a storage temperature.
 11. A dynamic local storage system for nutritional substances according to claim 8, wherein the controller is part of a local storage environment.
 12. A method of conditioning a nutritional substance comprising: detecting a dynamic information identifier provided with a nutritional substance; accessing datasets referenced to the dynamic information identifier relating to changes of nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values based on various conditioning protocols; displaying the changes of the nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values with respect to at least one conditioning protocol; and implementing the at least one conditioning protocol to operate a conditioner.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one condition protocol includes a temperature and time of conditioning.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying includes displaying the changes of the nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values with respect to at least two alternative conditioning protocols.
 15. The method of claim 14, including receiving input from a consumer through an input panel selecting at least one of the two alternative conditioning protocols.
 16. The method of claim 15, including adapting operation of the conditioner to the selected one of the two alternative conditioning protocols. 